Something to Protect or the Endless Circle of Life
by Lady Arabella Malfoy
Summary: Sesshomaru revives a human woman - a copy of Kagura in face and character, and leaves her, thinking he'll never see her again. But Fate thinks otherwise. They meet again and thus begins their journey of discovery and fulfilling of their destinies.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello everybody! This fic was started because I missed Sesshomaru's presence in my life. As if he ever could be there in the first place, but that's not what the fic is about. It was born from a rather strange idea, I've never thought it would turn out to be so philosophical. Oh well… It was started as a one-short, but grew immensely. The plot span is at least fifteen years, so I want to apologize beforehand if there are mistakes with the time line. There are a lot of Japanese words in the text, some are those which are commonly used in Inuyasha fics, those that are not – have translation beside them.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha only some original characters.**

**Something to Protect or the Endless Circle of Life**

**by Lady Arabella Malfoy**

**Prologue **

The feeling of déjà vu was a common thing among youkai, especially to those who have lived for hundreds of years. One and the same events repeated over and over again with different people, in different places, but humanity didn't offer much of a variety. That's why Sesshomaru was not surprised, even if he was ever, to see a half naked female body floating down the river that was speedily moving towards a waterfall. He paid her no mind, moving in his energy ball towards an unknown destination. Unknown, since lately Lord Sesshomaru had lost the purpose of his existence. There was no powerful enough enemy to slay, no lands to conquer, and going down to simple terrorizing of humans, the past time all youkai ravishly endured, was way below his taiyoukai status.

The body moved further downstream, being thrown over the river riffles, one of them was large enough for the body to turn over to reveal the woman's face. The feeling of déjà vu increased. The scent was of course different, but the appearance, the hair, and most importantly the face were the exact copy of the woman he once saved from the river currents.

The only difference – there was no spider mark on her back.

Driven by unknown instinct, Sesshomaru descended, retrieved the body from the water and put it on the river bank. The woman was obviously human and dead, what was even more obvious. But her face… The last time he saw it was at the flower field at least a hundred years ago. Another instinct of a mysterious origin made him draw Tenseiga and vanquish the demons of the Underworld who came for the woman's soul.

Sesshomaru knew that it was in his best interests to leave and let the woman deal with her new-founded life, but he stayed, sitting on a boulder, waiting for her to wake up. Which she did eventually with a loud grunt. Slowly coming to her senses, the woman sat up and looked around. She was obviously unaware of her state of returning to the world of the living, believing herself to be dead. She turned around once more and finally noticed she wasn't alone on the meadow. And then she screamed.

"Youkai!"

A typical reaction of a typical human. Sesshomaru stood up and headed towards the forest. It was pointless to stay – she was not her. He was a fool to believe that by some miracle Kagura was granted another chance at life. The appearance must've been just a coincidence. And a human… Sesshomaru had already reached the edge of the forest, when a hail stopped him.

"Please, wait! Could you at least tell me where I am?"

"Three miles to the West is Hanjoku village, downstream is town Zenzjan," he replied without turning around.

"So I am alive? How can it be? Why am I not dead?"

There was so much agony in her regret for being alive that it made Sesshomaru turn around to face the broken woman. In his long lifetime he had seen humans and youkai who begged him for death, for release from their painful sufferings, usually the ones he himself inflicted upon them. So why could a young woman wish death upon herself?

"Why didn't you kill me? Isn't it what youkai do?"

"This Sesshomaru revived you."

"You? You brought me back to this sinful world!" the woman yelled, her light brown eyes blazing with anger. To Sesshomaru's misfortune (what an oxymoron) he neared her enough for her to spring at him with clenched fists. Even if he hadn't been protected by his armor, two tiny human female fists would've done nothing to his body. They both knew that, but she still… "Who gave you the right? Were you just passing by and decided to revive some unknown human just for some sick entertainment? Haven't it crossed your youkai mind that there was a reason for me to jump off that cliff? That I preferred staying dead instead of… instead of…" Her anger evaporated just as quickly as it came and she fell onto the ground in front of Lord of the Western Lands, whom she dared to attack, in a heap of limbs tangled in still unfixed yukata.

"And what was the reason of you taking your life? If it was as important as you claim, I will kill you."

"My fiancée rejected me."

"Then you are more than a fool to end your life for it," Sesshomaru stated coldly. Brainless love struck fools – their existence was a wall-eye of humanity course of survival. Sometimes youkai too, take his father, for example.

"I was to be married after the next full moon. It was an arranged marriage, but it promised me a good life as the wife of the head of our village. Two days ago, I was returning from town and was attacked by three men. They beat me and raped me," the woman spat, every sharp cut word full of hate and contempt. "Each of them took me while others watched and laughed. When they were finished, they threw me at the outskirts of my village, beaten and bloody. It took me a whole day to reach my fiancée's house to seek his protection and punishment for the offenders. He didn't believe me, that son of a bitch!" the woman cursed, hitting the ground with her fists, as she could hit the man if he was present. "He accused me of having a lover before our marriage and to conceal my impurity I staged my rape. And then he tossed me out of the house! Like some garbage! And called me a whore! Hey, where are you going? Didn't you promise me something?"

"This Sesshomaru promised you nothing. Your reason for getting rid of something given to you by Kami itself is dishonorable for even a human."

"Dishonorable? I have no honor left because of those rascals! They took away my innocence, the most precious treasure any woman possesses. Something that is supposed to be given to a special person, not to some thugs that wanted to have a bit of quick fun! But how are you supposed to understand, you, youkai, are all heartless bastards! Kill me now and end this farce!"

"I won't, because this killing will dishonor this Sesshomaru. He kills only those who are worth it. If you are so eager to die then jump over the waterfall, the sword can revive only once. I advise you to fix your clothes properly, so maybe then you won't be considered a whore at your burial." With that Sesshomaru left deeming not to see anymore the human woman, mysteriously so alike Kagura not only in appearance, but in character too.

….

A hundred years ago, Inuyasha group disbanded after the final defeat of Naraku. The monk and the youkai slayer got married and started working on the large family they both wanted. After a lot of fights, awkward moments and pure stubbornness Inuyasha and Kagome decided to get married too. The only problem was Kagome's human lifespan. Even if Inuyasha was a hanoyu, he could live at least three hundred years. So Inuyasha went to Lady of the Western Lands, who had connections to the World of the Dead, and begged her to prolong Kagome's life.

Sesshomaru regretted every day his absence in his mother's castle during the visit of his step-brother. The view of Inuyasha desperately begging on his knees… An entertainment of a lifetime. He also knew that Inuyasha was on his own, without his constantly present miko girl. Must've been an independent intention, very uncharacteristic of Sesshomaru's dim-witted sibling.

The Lady agreed, but the price was three years of servitude, without leaving the castle, and most importantly not seeing his fiancée. Sesshomaru was surprised to hear from mother that Inuyasha actually agreed. If he knew his mother, the servitude wouldn't have ended with the nightfall's setting. Was she testing Inuyasha's fidelity or simply getting revenge on the result of her husband's betrayal?

Whatever was the reason, Sesshomaru had never been informed about (he didn't even inquire of course), but after three years Inuyasha mated Kagome and a hundred years later she looked exactly the same, not even giving birth to two pups had changed her. Both boys looked human apart from their silver hair and pointed ears. They were too young however to show any visible youkai heritage so had no problems with village children who befriended them, even with extreme cautiousness on their parents' part.

Among those human friends were two notorious boys and one girl who had in their blood love for life and adventure and also bravery and strength few possessed. Those kids were children of Rin and Kohaku, whose union was predetermined the moment Kohaku returned to visit his sister, Sango, after finishing his training as a youkai slayer.

The appearance of a young, strong young man caused quite a stir in the village. All girls of age were interested in him and didn't hide it, which wasn't exactly a proper behavior for young ladies, but for someone like a young hero to notice them… His glance stayed on only one girl though. Not a little girl anymore, but a woman for whose smile he could fight a deadliest youkai on Earth.

A subtle courting had already started when Sesshomaru arrived to pay his ward a visit. With a curt nod he gave his blessings, an action he at times regretted since a wife of a youkai slayer turned into a widow with a very high probability and in a short time no less. That's why Sesshomaru decided to work on the boy himself. The special training lowered the chances of youkai to leave alive after facing Kohaku to the minimum, so he and Rin lived a long live with their three children and six grandchildren, who moved to another villages after the passing of their grandparents. They married and had children of their own, who continued the circle of life after reaching maturity. On and on Sesshomaru had a pack (if anybody dared to call it so) of thirty humans, descendants of Rin who was in his care so many years ago.

The only ones who remembered the quest to destroy Naraku was he, Inuyasha with his mate and Shippo who lived with them. All others were dead, slept peacefully in their graves. That didn't mean that those who remained were utterly happy with their lives without the persons once very dear to them.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Tradition was a rear trait in the character of any youkai; still Sesshomaru seemed to obtain it through the years of watching the growth of his ward and her family. Two times a year he visited all six families one after the other.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Sesshomaru-sama!" cried a mop of black hair that crushed into his legs the moment he neared a small hut on the edge of the village. "I knew you will come today! I was waiting on the road the whole morning!"

"That's what she did alright," said a young man, stepping out of the hut. "Go and play, Rin."

"But I want to stay with Sesshomaru-sama!" the girl of four weaned, hugging the leg even tighter with her small arms.

"We will walk later, Rin," Sesshomaru stated, disentangling girl's arm from his leg and shoving her lightly towards the yard full of flowers she adored.

"I will make you a bunch of flowers!" Before men could say or do anything, she was already running to the flower field.

"Does she really look like my grand-grand-grandmother, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Indeed," the taiyoukai drawled, following the girl with a distant glance. In his never failing memory he saw another girl running just like that, full of laughter and happiness. "How was the harvest?" Sesshomaru asked, turning back to the man beside him.

"Fairly well. There will be no problems during the winter if there aren't any sudden losses."

"Sudden losses?" Sesshomaru inquired, leading way into the house with the man hurrying after him.

"As you are aware, bandits, youkai, storms, floods. Anything can happen."

"Doesn't your priest protect the village with his praying?" Sesshomaru asked stepping into the modest building. There was nothing excessive there, only the necessities. There was also a scent that wasn't there before. It was vaguely familiar, but Sesshomaru couldn't determine the origin.

They took places around the fireplace and the host offered his guest a cup of tea according to the etiquette. He then continued to list the events that happened in between taiyoukai's visits, but Sesshomaru didn't listen. For some reason he had to pin point the source of the scent…

"Tanaki-san, I am going to the market, do you need-"

And there Sesshomaru found the source – the woman, he resurrected three months ago, stood in the house of the family, who was under his protection, instead of being dead, lying at the bottom of the river. It was obviously that she didn't fail to forget his face either since she slowly backed out of the house. She didn't look afraid, rather disconcerted and confused. Sesshomaru turned to Tanaki, obviously demanding an explanation with his stern look.

"As you know, after Mika's death at childbirth, it was extremely difficult for me to raise Rin and work at the fields to raise enough for us to eat. A month ago Kagura-san appeared in the village-"

"Kagura?"

If Tanaki had looked at his protector close enough, he would've seen a surprised expression that cracked his usual mask of indifference so great was his surprise, but Tanaki went with his story concentrating hard on choosing the right words. He knew that Sesshomaru-sama would never harm him, but still felt reverential awe towards the taiyoukai, the strongest existing youkai, if the rumors were right.

"Yes. She was looking for a place to stay and I offered to take her in, since the woman was needed in the household, and Rin needed to be looked after."

"So you took her into this house as your wife?"

"No!" Tanaki protested right away, but it was obvious, he entertained the idea.

"Doesn't the head of the village find such living indecent?"

"Well, I am not against Kagura-san becoming my wife, but when I asked her, she feverishly protested. She said she was prepared to stay as a servant if that could eradicate the case of marriage. She stays in a separate room next to Rin's and I swear, Sesshomaru-sama, there is no indecency-"

"That doesn't concern this Sesshomaru," he cut him off. "You made a wise decision, Tanaki, since Rin indeed needs a mother."

"Thank you, Sesshomaru-sama," Tanaki murmured, bowing low.

Sesshomaru left the hut with Tanaki still bent over. Yes, the Lord of the Western Lands demanded respect and received it from his pack members, but at times he wished for the respect to be less fuelled by fear. Tanaki was a decent, but simple man, who will be a farmer till his last breath. Could he bring up Rin with her free spirit she inherited from her grand predecessor? Or will Rin need someone who could nourish it for her to become someone really special?

…

The dusk settled over the village, but Rin didn't left Sesshomaru's side since the moment they settled on a flower field near the hut. She was sitting between his legs, playing with his monomoko and bubbling about her past day, the village bully she talked back to and how good it felt, about a new friend she met the day before and about all other little things that the child considered important. It was hard to tell if Sesshomaru was listening, his closed eyes indicating complete relaxation to an outsider. Some could even suggest that he was sleeping. Those who didn't know the powerful youkai that is.

Sesshomaru slowly opened his eyes, feeling the movement in the house. "It is late, Rin. Go to sleep."

"But I haven't told you about what happened on the fields the other day!" Rin protested with a cute pout.

"You can tell later." The scent was nearing them…

"Will Sesshomaru-sama be here tomorrow? Will you meet my new friends?"

The person was near enough to be distinguished by the figure. "We will see."

"Promise me, you will stay! Please!"

Sesshomaru nodded his glance fixed on the woman coming towards them.

"Yei! I am going to tell father!" Rin squealed and was off in a flash. She was in such a hurry that she almost collided with Kagura. "Sorry, Kagura-san," she threw over her shoulder and headed towards the house on top speed.

"What are you doing here?" Kagura asked, leaving at least ten meters between her and the youkai.

"This Sesshomaru doesn't eat humans. And it is I who must ask this of you."

Kagura took several steps towards him, but remained on a safe distance. "Meaning why I am still alive?" She interpreted his silence as a 'yes'. "Well, I actually went to that waterfall you mentioned. I stood there, looked down and saw the streaming water that seemed so alive with all its splashing and currents and waves. And then I thought if I jumped and killed myself I would spoil it, spoil its pure life energy.

That's why I headed into the forest in search of another way to end my life. And while I walked I saw animals busy with their everyday lives of storing food, caring for their brood, eating, sleeping… It was what they were created for and they fulfilled their purpose without question or protest. So I thought about my destiny… Why was I born? To have an arranged marriage thus making my parents' life worriless? Well, it didn't happen. Does it mean that my life became meaningless? Or maybe my destiny was different from the start?

So when I was given a new life I thought things over and decided to give life another chance. When I entered this village I planned to pass through, but then I saw Rin and something overcame me, a mother instinct maybe. I always wanted a little girl just like her."

"Nothing stops you from having your own daughter."

"No, I will never be with a man. Men can be worse than youkai," she spat.

There was no need for Sesshomaru to see her face to feel her pain. Another life, but the pain never leaves, never is forgotten. "You saw a lot of men and youkai in your short life to judge them like that?"

He was gone in a swish of fur and silver, leaving Kagura alone in the dark contemplating his words.

"Hey! You haven't answered my question!" she yelled into the night, but silence was her reply once again.

…..

"Come back soon, Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin cried two days later. She followed him till the outskirts of the village and would've gone even further, if it hadn't been for her father, firmly holding her hand.

Kagura watched bewildered. Rin was indeed a girl with big heart, but so much affection for a youkai? What has he done to deserve it?

"What is he doing here?" she finally asked Tanaki, when Rin skipped far enough not to hear them.

"What do you mean, Kagura-san?"

"What is a youkai doing in a human village? And acting as he is the master of your home! Does he threaten you, Tanaki-san? If it is so, you can always call upon the youkai exterminators from the Kijasoku family."

Tanaki chuckled. "My brother is part of that family."

"All the better then."

"The only problem, Kagura-san, is that they can't slay Sesshomaru-sama. They could if there were at least hundred of them with at least fifty powerful monks. Then they could try. Doesn't mean they'll succeed."

"He is that powerful?" Kagura asked, starting seeing the silver-haired youkai in a bit of a different light. He certainly didn't look like an ordinary demon with the way he moved and even looked at people, but what were his limits even if there were such in existence?

"Sesshomaru-sama is the most powerful youkai walking this land. It is an honor to be under his protection. You are new here, Kagura-san, but if you want to have a peaceful life you must show respect towards Sesshomaru-sama."

"What if I don't?" Kagura questioned full of arrogance. He was an animal however you look at it, so why should she even pay him any attention? He brought her to life however, but she considered it an instant whim opposing to an act of kindness. "Will he rip me to shreds?"

"Rin is his favorite, so if he considers the person looking after her unsuitable, he can send you out of the village. It happened two years ago, when I was desperate to find somebody to look after my little girl. I wasn't fond of the rough granny myself, but I had to do something."

"What right does he have? Rin is _your_ daughter! Favorite or not!" Kagura yelled in righteous anger. "How can she be a favorite, she is the only one!"

"Favorite from all her cousins. Rin is somehow special; and not because she has youkai blood in her veins."

"What?" Kagura gasped, rooted to the spot by the revelation.

"My wife, Mika, was partly youkai of birds' variety. That's why she had problems with the delivery. The miko warned us, but we were selfish, we wanted to have a family of our own. During childbirth it was Rin's life or Mika's, so Mika sacrificed herself." A lonely tear ran down Tanaki's cheek, but he quickly brushed it away. "So Sesshomaru-sama brought Rin into this world."

"He killed you wife. He killed Mika-san," Kagura whispered horrified. "And you ask me to respect him? That monster? And how can _you_ live with this?"

Kagura had a lot more to say, but angry tears were suffocating her. She ran along the road far away from Tanaki, his house and the village whose inhabitants allowed to be protected by a youkai. She couldn't understand how she was so easily fooled by people. Was she too young to understand the ways of the world? Did her parents bring her up wrong? Brought her up only to give away into an arranged marriage?

Sweet innocent Rin. She was so taken with her. And it turns out that the girl is a youkai, only slightly but she is. And her father? He married one, but maybe had youkai blood himself, that's why he was obedient to that Sesshomaru-sama? Because of the youkai hierarchy?

Scared and confused Kagura ran blindly through the forest, not seeing and not caring where she was going. Unbeknownst to her, somebody was seeing her very clearly and waiting for the opportune moment to have his dinner served.

…

Kagura felt disoriented. She didn't remember what happened for her to be lying in the mud. She tried to make a recollection of the recent past, but her heavy head supplied her only with a snapshot of a green flash.

"Were you seeking death once again?" came an emotionless drawl from above her.

Kagura rose onto her elbows to lock gaze with the impassive golden eyes that seemed not to be concerned wherever she died or not. The overall situation reminded Kagura of the river 'accident'. Why was he waiting for her to wake up? "What are you doing here?"

"This Sesshomaru may go as he pleases." Still he tilted his head to the side.

Kagura followed his motion to see a mass of limbs and entrails which obviously belonged to a youkai. A dead youkai, which be he alive, Kagura would've been in his place.

"You saved my life," Kagura said disbelieving.

"This Sesshomaru was taking care of garbage on his land. What are you doing here alone? And crying?"

"I… don't need to explain myself to you," she spat, standing up with as much dignity as possible having a messed up hair and kimono.

"You must return to the village before dark."

"I don't need your advice either. I am free to do as I please," she stated with pride.

Sesshomaru almost smiled – it was even the same posture. And the craving for freedom. This Kagura was not free however. "Rin must be looking for you already. Do you want her to get hurt in these woods?"

"I doubt youkai will hurt one of their own," Kagura retorted with unhidden contempt.

"Rin's inheritance bothers you?"

"Of course it does! Someone so innocent and sweet! A monster!"

"Whatever you think about her, you've taken her under your care, so she is yours to protect."

"Nothing is set in stone, I can leave any time."

"You can, Kagura, or…"

"You will kill me?" she questioned challenging the youkai, which was totally ridiculous on her part, because she could join the dead youkai with another green flash in a mere second. But Kagura didn't care; she was fed up with his patronizing attitude. Who the Hell was he to tell her what to do in her new life? She wanted to say her thoughts aloud, but suddenly a bright light blinded her – they were out of the forest. How did they get here? And when did they start walking in the first place?

Kagura took a deep breath for her self-asserting speech, when she was interrupted once again, by Tanaki's cries.

"Thanks Kami-sama for your staying nearby Sesshomaru-sama," Tanaki squeezed out while hyperventilating. "And you found Kagura-san too. We were starting to get worried."

"Tanaki," Sesshomaru checked sharply to stop the man's babbling.

"My brother's wife, Hitomi, has gone into labor and there are only young girls beside the miko to help. The miko sent the message to ask for help. Hitomi is special; there must be some difficulty… Please, Sesshomaru-sama," he begged, going down onto his knees, "don't let her die like Mika did."

Kagura looked disgusted at the man. Groveling likes some slave! A hand with long white fingers appeared before her out of nowhere, making her jump back out of surprise. "What are you doing?" she asked with slight panic, looking into the golden eyes that were hypnotizing her to take the hand. At least it felt like that for Kagura.

"Time is of essence. You will never reach Inuyasha's village by human means."

"But what are you going-"

"Just hold tight and don't open your eyes."

Before Kagura could comprehend the happenings she was pulled towards the white fur and then was a wind tornado and then they were flying?.. She didn't open her eyes, not because she was told to, but because she thought if she had she would become one of the youkai world she so despised and was, frankly, quite afraid of.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

They touched ground not more than an hour later. Only then Kagura dared to open her eyes to see a busy village much like any other. The ascendance of a youkai from the skies didn't seem to surprise the inhabitants; they cared on with their business not even looking their way. Kagura couldn't analyze the new environment though, since Sesshomaru started walking on a rapid pace and she had no choice but to follow him.

Their goal was a large house, its walls shaking from inhuman screams that were coming from the depths of the building. Young girls were running errands assigned by the women assisting with the delivery. Their faces were white from raw fear. Even their hands were trembling, which caused the constant dumping of things, for what they were obviously scolded by the older women, that didn't look better themselves.

Sesshomaru entered the house as he had all right to be there, and Kagura wondered why nobody questioned his presence. Men were strictly forbidden to be present during deliveries.

"Thank goodness you came, Sesshomaru," greeted a young woman dressed in miko clothes. "I thought you will follow the scent, but you didn't come, so I was heading to ask Inuyasha to bring you."

"This Sesshomaru was detained."

"Oh and you brought help, how nice." The woman's babbling suddenly stopped when she looked at Kagura properly. Kagura didn't understand why somebody who was seeing her for the first time, looked as she'd seen a ghost.

"Kagura is a new caretaker of Rin. She lives with Tanaki," Sesshomaru explained the situation. Too briefly for Kagome's liking, but it could wait for later.

"Follow me then. Why doesn't it get easier with every time, Sesshomaru? I mean, I know the process inside out and still…"

"Everybody just get more stupid. We tell them, warn them, and it still happens," Sesshomaru remarked bitterly.

"Everybody has the right to have a family," Kagome stated with unshakable belief.

Kagura marveled at the way the miko was handling the youkai – like an equal, and even more so, she was standing up to him! Yes, the woman looked tired and unkept because of the hours with difficult labor, but some powerful aura was coming off her. Who was that miko exactly?

Another heart wrenching cry echoed through the building with thin rice paper walls almost ripping them to shreds. The group of three hurried to the source with Kagome giving instructions to the other women on the way.

"Kagura… Kami-sama, even the name," Kagome added under her breath, "you did it before, right?"

"Yes, at least five times in my village."

"Good, it is a bit different this time, so be prepared for something you've never seen before, and don't let your shock take control over your actions or thoughts. We must bring this baby into this world, other things don't matter."

Kagura nodded in agreement, confused by the miko's words, but what else could she say?

All three entered a large room with a woman on the floor mats. She was tossing around adding strange slithering motions. The woman's appearance instantly revealed to Kagura the difficulty and the mystery around the ordeal – the female was no human. She had long emerald green hair and big yellow eyes with abnormal – vertical – irises.

Kagura had to admit that the youkai was beautiful even with sweaty forehead and tangled locks. She understood why men could be tempted to be with her, but going as far as having a child? Who was that crazy man? Oh yes, Tanaki's brother.

Meanwhile, the women started to fill the room, and Kagome assigned them with tasks. Kagura was given a task too, but she kept watching 'Sesshomaru-sama' with the corner of her eye.

Of all possible things, he sat down with crossed legs onto the mats and put the head of the woman onto his lap. He was telling her something in a soft voice and she, in turn, vigorously shook her head.

"There is no other way if you want to live with your husband and son," Sesshomaru's impassionate voice echoed through the room and everything stilled. Unconsciously. Everybody knew that something was going to happen, but what? For some reason, Kagura pressed the towels she was given closer to her chest.

In complete silence, Sesshomaru's clawed hands went under Hitomi's shirt and brought to the light an intricate medallion. He pulled onto the string and it broke. The woman screamed, but no scream came; it was a hiss of thousands of snakes brought together. Her canines grew larger to form two long fangs, eyes flashed with maniacal yellow, blue-green scales started to cover her neck and face…

Half of the women cried in horror, some of the younger ones fainted, but Kagura watched the transformation with terrified fascination. One moment one, the other – another. There seemed to be much more to youkai than she thought.

A steady chanting filled the room calming the women and the transformed youkai and then a sudden "Push!" and everything went into motion once again. Another two hours with hisses and the danger of having the arm beaten off, the snake youkai disappeared and Hitomi's head fell onto Sesshomaru's lap, the woman having no more strength to hold it on her own.

The baby boy looked as any other human would except for the eyes which he inherited from mother. Kagome showed the baby to Sesshomaru who scratched the baby's cheekbones with his claws drawing blood and leaked the droplets off.

"Son of Naruki and Hitomi, Kiodji."

"Beautiful, isn't he?"

Sesshomaru didn't reply - he was leaving. He didn't have any more business there.

As if some kind of spell was broken by Sesshomaru's departure, the women came into motion and started tending to the resting woman, who kept pressing to her chest the medallion so easily discarded by Sesshomaru earlier. Kagura was holding the towels so she neared Kagome who was bathing the crying baby.

"I noticed you hadn't been frightened as the rest of the women," Kagome remarked when Kagura was close enough.

"It was completely unexpected, I must've been too shocked to be afraid," Kagura replied intently watching the baby. It was different but still so like a human.

"Can you hold it for a bit?"

With caution, the reason of which was not only the nature of the burden, Kagura rapped the blankets around tiny Kiodji. Kagome put one hand on its head and the other – onto its stomach and began to make circular motions. A few minutes later a white light appeared under her fingertips and entered the baby's body.

"What did you do?" Kagura asked dumbfounded, looking at now peaceful baby who was in turn staring at her with big yellow eyes.

"I purified Kiodji so he won't have a demon side."

"So this is a hanoyu?"

"No, Hitomi is one. The medallion around her neck prevents her demon side to manifest as you've seen earlier. I purify all the babies with youkai blood that are born here. It is impossible with adults so I make artifacts that allow hanoyus live a normal life."

"So he will only look different?"

"Well, inhuman strength and agility will be all there, but he won't turn into a bloodthirsty beast."

"You seem to know the silver-haired youkai rather well," Kagura made a change for the topic she was curious about.

"You mean Sesshomaru?"

"If you want to call him that."

"Yes, we've known each other for quite a long time. I can't say we are close, but we are rather close relatives."

Now Kagura was even more confused. Kagome couldn't be a youkai since she was a miko, so in what way could she be related to the silver-haired beast? Her questions were left unanswered however since there was a knock on the wall.

"This is Naruki, can I come in?"

All the women finished their duties, so Hitomi was presentable enough to meet her husband and to show their child to the father. Everybody but Kagome and Kagura left giving permission to the man to enter. Naruki didn't wait another second to comply and he wasn't alone. Two young men accompanied him, one looked nineteen and the other not older than sixteen. In Kagura's personal opinion, they both looked like younger versions of Sesshomaru, but without the face markings.

The baby was given to its parents and not family members left the family to their new joy after extending their congratulations.

"The funniest thing is that I remember Naruki being exactly the same - a little wiggling baby who couldn't stop screaming. I wonder if this one is the same," the older of the Sesshomaru's copies said.

"Don't be rude, Yasha," Kagome scolded. "You will have your own pups one day."

"And till then we have another kid to spoil," the younger man, who couldn't even be called a man yet, stated with a big smile that revealed small but nevertheless present fangs.

"Did you pay your respects to your Oji-san (uncle)?" Kagome questioned in an authoritive tone.

"Of course. Asked if he would give his fangs for our swords."

"And what did he say?"

"What he always says: 'Over my dead body'. As that will happen any time soon!" Yasha exclamation was full of sarcasm.

"Behave you two!" Kagome scolded again, this time hitting them both over the head.

"Why me too? I haven't said a word," the boy protested.

"But you were thinking it, Ryou (hound)," Kagome explained, and the boy looked down full of guilt. "Now go and tell everyone the good news. Both the mother and the baby are alive."

"Does that mean we have one slayer less? With Naruki having a family and all?"

"It is possible, Yasha. But there is less and less youkai around, so one member less won't compromise your youkai exterminating quest."

"Especially if slayers continue to marry them or their relatives," Ryou said chuckling.

The young men took off right from the entrance of the building, leaving fuming Kagome and utterly lost Kagura.

"Sometimes, I am ashamed to call myself their mother," Kagura finally stated.

"They are your sons?" Kagura exclaimed now losing all logic of the situation. Kagome looked two years older than the hanoyus. At most. Even her being their sister was doubtful, a younger one maybe, but the mother? "Yours and _his_?"

"Like Hell they are Sesshomaru's!" came from behind Kagura, after she experienced a sudden movement of air. Whoever said that must've jumped from the roof and no human could do that. That meant…

Kagura slowly turned around to come face to face with another silver-haired golden-eyed creature. This one, however, had dog ears in his silver mane. Both their eyes widened but for different reasons.

"Kso!" Inuyasha cursed, jumping back and almost colliding with a wall. "And a human…"

"Yasha and Ryou are mine and Inuyasha's sons, Kagura," Kagome cleared up the misunderstanding.

Inuyasha slowly returned to his senses, but now he was looking questioningly at Kagome. "Kagura?" His question obviously had a hidden meaning only his wife could understand.

Kagura looked from Inuyasha to Kagome and back, confused once again. Why were they reacting like that the moment they see her face and hear her name? There was nothing special about either.

"Kagura lives with Tanaki," Kagome supplied an explanation, this time for Inuyasha.

"I see," Inuyasha drawled, looking Kagura over from head to toe.

Such attention didn't please Kagura in the slightest. "I must head back. It's getting late and I have a lot of chores to do."

"Your village is a two day ride from here."

"Two days?" Kagura said astonished. "But the trip here took less than an hour!"

"Sesshomaru is still here. You can try to persuade him to take you back. He is at the cemetery," Kagome suggested, with impish sparks in her dark eyes.

Not even attempting to give a second thought about the underlying meaning of Kagome's words, Kagura departed in a huff, civil pleasantries of saying goodbye forgotten.

"Hey, Kagome," Inuyasha uttered, when Kagura was out of the ear-shot, "She can't be _her_, right? I mean, even the name is the same. It can't be a coincidence."

"She is definitely not Kagura the wind mistress, but she could be an incarnation. Kikyo and I weren't that different either, right, Inuyasha?"

"I always could tell you apart," Inuyasha mumbled, uncomfortable as always when the subject of Kikyo brought up.

"Let's see if Sesshomaru can."

"Huh?"

…

Kagura didn't need to ask for directions to find the cemetery. It was located at the same place in every village – at the outskirts of it. While she was walking through the village that looked nothing extraordinary comparing to other villages she visited in her twenty two years, this one, Inuyasha's village, as she heard it was called, was certainly different in aspect of population. Hanoyus of all kinds walked freely as if it was completely normal for them to live alongside humans. Moreover, on her way Kagura encountered several youkai slayers, who, by the words she overheard, came to congratulate their teammate on becoming a father.

Kagura marveled at the words she heard. A union of a youkai slayer and a hanoyu was not only approved but praised. The whole conception was against everything she had been taught since birth. Youkai were supposed to be bloodthirsty beasts, which had only one purpose – destroy and devour. They don't have a soul or possess a way of rational thinking. They are even worse than animals.

But that day Kagura learned a lot about youkai that contradicted with her previous knowledge. She was puzzled, but she wanted to learn more, to understand why Tanaki married someone with youkai blood, what Rin will turn into and why… why _he _associated himself with humans.

The cemetery came into view with its lonely tombstones. One tombstone wasn't lonely though. Beside it sat a person in white Kagura couldn't mistake for any human village inhabitant. She watched as the youkai was motionlessly sitting and staring at the tombstone as if communicating with its residents. In front of the stone lay a bunch of flowers that looked freshly picked.

Kagura stepped towards the grave without attempting to conceal her steps, understanding that he must've already known about her presence. The very first name on the stone caught her attention – Rin.

"You have no right to be present here," Sesshomaru uttered in his usual indifferent voice, but with just a bit of coldness that showed his displeasure.

"I know, and I am sorry. And not only for being here. I indeed don't know much about youkai and men for that matter. I was brought up to become a perfect wife and nothing more. In these several months I've seen things I would've never seen if I had remained in my village."

"Followed your previous destiny."

"Yes."

"Have you discovered a new one?"

"I don't know yet. I hope time will show me."

"Time… Humans always lie about it to themselves."

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you come to ask me something, Kagura?" Sesshomaru questioned, turning to face her for the first time.

Kagura was present on the burials only two times, but she clearly remembered the grief and pain the eyes of the people were full of. The people that lost somebody they loved, cared for. Somebody who will never return to them. And those feelings were exactly what she saw in Sesshomaru's eyes. The astonishment was so great that she almost fell to the ground. Youkai could feel sadness? _He_ could? But didn't he resemble a piece of marble with no feelings, no life within him?

"Well, Kagome and then her… husband, I presume, acted strange the moment they saw my face. Why? We've never met before," Kagura replied hesitantly, not sure she actually wanted to receive the answer. She had a feeling that it wouldn't be simple, moreover it was personal. To whom? She was afraid to find out.

"Youkai and even hanoyu have a long lifespan. We meet thousands of people, some of them happen to look alike."

"So there was another woman who looked like me? Who was she?"

"A wind youkai."

It was obvious for Kagura that Sesshomaru didn't want to continue the conversation, but she couldn't let it go. There was something captivating in his words, the eternal wisdom that even the oldest monk in her village didn't possess. She sat down onto the grass, indicating that she wasn't going to back off.

"Were you close?"

"I trusted her."

"Only trusted?"

"I hardly trust my step-brother."

"So this woman was important to you," Kagura concluded, looking closely for any shift in the youkai's glance. After a little observation she understood that if he felt anything, it was seen in his eyes. Only in his eyes.

"She taught me a lesson."

"It must've been something remarkable," she noted with a smirk. To teach something the great taiyoukai, what a woman!

"Indeed. She taught me that having a weakness doesn't make one weak. Not admitting it does. If one admits to his weakness and fights to overcome it, it makes one strong. Even stronger than someone who has no weaknesses."

"It is impossible to have no weaknesses at all."

"But it is possible to think so."

"Indeed." Kagura looked at the person in front of her. It was impossible not to feel the power he emanated. Everything about him seemed perfect, but it wasn't. She couldn't place what was amiss, but for some reason she wanted to discover it. "Why do you protect humans?" she blurted out, instantly regretting it. It was pointless to even hope to receive a reply to that.

"The youkai are extinct."

"So you keep track of everybody with youkai blood?"

"Rin was human."

"What do you mean, Rin _was_? Stop talking in riddles!" Kagura blew up suddenly, her temper ablaze. "Can't you explain things just as they are?"

"Why should this Sesshomaru explain anything to _you_?"

"Because taking care of Rin makes me a part of this mess," she spat.

"What mess is that?"

"Damn you," Kagura cursed under her breath. That piercing glance of his was unsettling. She couldn't control herself or her words in the least. "I meant to say," she began after collecting herself, "that I don't neither know nor understand what is going on around me. Rin is such a sweet and lovely girl, and she will… she will…"

"She was," Sesshomaru agreed, his hand resting on the gravestone. "And she grew up, and she grew old, and she died. A hundred years passed and it will be the same once again."

Kagura followed his glance towards the first name engraved on the stone and understood. She didn't know exactly why a human girl Rin, the first one, staid with the youkai, but she knew that the reason changed him.

While Kagura was contemplating her discoveries, she didn't notice Sesshomaru stand up and move away. "Hey, wait! Where are you going?" Her plea fell on deaf ears. So what? She ran after him as fast as her tight kimono allowed.

When she felt she was going to fall from exhaustion, he stopped. "Why are you following this Sesshomaru?"

"Take me back," she managed to rasp out between deep breaths. "It will be faster than by ordinary means. Just on a slower pace this time."

"This Sesshomaru doesn't have time for this."

"So you don't lie about time to yourself like humans do?"

"No, this Sesshomaru doesn't waste it like humans do."

"An hour for you is just a blink of an eye. And I… don't want to ride with a stranger."

"And this Sesshomaru is not a stranger?"

"Well, you obviously won't try anything…"

"You say that to a youkai?"

"If you harm me, Rin won't get anything to eat for supper. So it's your choice."

"Not yours, Kagura?"

"We are wasting time, let's just get on with it," Kagura actually ordered, coming to stand beside him.

A clawed hand came around her waist and they rose encircled with sparkling energy. This time Kagura didn't close her eyes, but watched the passing woods under them – it was a fabulous view. Once she made a trip into the mountains and at the very top looked down - the grandeur of the surrounding world overwhelmed her. Now she had opposite feelings – _she _was above the world now.

From the corner of her eye Kagura noticed a white flash moving from the trees. For a moment it resurfaced on the top of the tree and she recognized Ryou. He was aiming with his bow at something on the ground.

"Is there a youkai?" she asked quietly, as if afraid to scare the pray, or simply scared.

"Yes."

"Aren't you going to do anything?"

"It is his pray and his territory."

"You are their Oji-san?"

Sesshomaru wrinkled his nose in contempt. He was clearly very touchy about the subject. Kagura stored that little piece of information.

"Those pups are no concern of mine."

"Do you have, ehhh… pups?"

"No."

"Why? You yourself said that youkai extinct."

"They extinct because of their own foolishness, letting their demon side to overcome their being, turning them into brainless animals. Their only goal in life – to satisfy their bloodlust. To breed and to bring up a decent continuation of their line… A pointless waste of time to their mind."

"But you seem to be different." There was obviously no reply to such a comment, but Kagura pressed the matter further. "All you do is criticize and adopt human families that have no blood connection to you."

"And yet you do the same. You take care of Rin, who doesn't relate to you in any way."

"I will have my own children some day," Kagura declared.

"And what about your vow never to be with a man?"

"I changed my mind, when I saw Hitomi giving birth today. She must've gone through a lot of difficult experiences being a wife of a youkai slayer. Furthermore, she was aware of the danger of giving birth, but still did it. With time I may overcome my fears. All men can't be rapists. That is my choice."

The rest of the flight was spent in silence. Kagura couldn't understand the reason for the abrupt end of the conversation. Did she offend him? Dare to speak of what he couldn't? And why did she even care?

They landed on the field of flowers behind Tanaki's hut. They didn't even touch the ground, but Rin was already running towards them, arms stretched out for a hug.

"You came too Sesshomaru-sama!" the girl screamed with joy. "Kagura-san, father brought big fresh fish today, we are going to have a wonderful supper! I am going to help you to cook! Are you going to stay, Sesshomaru-sama?"

To Kagura's total astonishment, the taiyoukai only ruffled Rin's hair and disappeared into the night.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Several months passed. Sesshomaru was once again on his quest to visit the families of Rin's descendants. This time however a little surprise awaited him. Usually Rin was always eagerly waiting for him at the entrance to the village, sensing his upcoming presence with the aid of her youkai awareness inherited from her mother, but this time she was not alone. Right beside her stood Kagura, holding the girl by the hand she wasn't waving with.

"Welcome back, Sesshomaru-sama," Kagura uttered wheedlingly with a deep bow.

Sesshomaru passed not paying attention to Kagura's mockery. And mockery it was. Tanaki instructed Kagura to show respect to their patron and protector. She had no reason to grovel in front of the youkai, she was free to be who she was, to make her own choices and decisions. Yes, he was powerful and all that, but she was no slave.

The trio proceeded to Tanaki's hut. Inside the tea was served by Kagura – the perfect housewife.

"Here is your tea, Sesshomaru-sama," she said, giving him the bowl, her head once again bowed low. He took the bowl and for a moment their eyes met. Kagura almost dropped the innocent piece of pottery, seeing in the golden eyes' glance a spark of amusement. He knew, 'Sesshomaru-sama' knew that it was only a show on her part. So what? A small smirk graced her ruby-colored lips, which she didn't bother to hide. Another smirk was sent in response.

Kagura kept avoiding Sesshomaru the whole evening.

…..

The next day a village council was assembled. A storm was coming their way, a cloud of locust – an uncontrollable flock of insects that destroy everything and everyone on their way. Moreover the rumor was the youkai possessed the locust to pick up the fruits of locust raid.

Kagura was present on the council by accident; she was serving sake to the members who were pouring over a primitive, but accurate map of the lands. From the discussion Kagura understood that the villages of the Western Lands, to which the current one belonged to, had pretty much a full proof protection by youkai slayers assembling in every village to enforce the surrounding walls and with mikos and priests to create shields for the locust to bypass the whole territory.

The Head of the village showed the course the locust flock would take and right at that moment Kagura was near enough to see the map and the villages that would fall victims to the monsters if they couldn't acquire needed protection means. The sake bottle flew to the ground, its contents spilling onto the map. The men cursed and looked for the culprit, but Kagura was long gone.

She ran blindly in the dark, knowing her route well enough not to stumble into anything or anyone. She burst into Tanaki's hut that had become her home as well and called for Rin in desperation rarely expressed by her.

"What's the matter, Kagura-san?" the sleepy girl mumbled.

"Please, Rin, tell me where he is. He hasn't left yet, right? Please, tell me!" Kagura pled her voice full of urgency.

"Did something happen?" Rin drawled half asleep.

Kagura shook her awake. The girl didn't deserve it, but she had to. "Just tell me where he is!"

"Do you know the meadow with purple flowers? He is somewhere there."

Kagura quickly hugged Rin and ran off, leaving the flabbergasted girl to wonder about Kagura-san's reason to look for Sesshomaru so late at night.

….

Kagura found him exactly where Rin told her. He was standing on the meadow, a lonely figure of white in complete darkness. For a moment she was paralyzed by the view – so serene and collected, like Kami-sama itself.

Her trance was broken when Sesshomaru turned his head to acknowledge her presence. He didn't ask why she was there, just waited for her to approach and state her business. If she dared.

And Kagura did, she had nothing to lose, only one thought on her mind. She made several steps towards him, finding herself in the midst of beautiful flowers, but she didn't notice them. She slowly kneeled down, put her hands onto the ground and bowed so low that her forehead touched the surface.

"Great Sesshomaru-sama, the powerful taiyoukai, Lord of the Western Lands, I beg of you to spare my village from locust attack. I will do whatever you ask to repay you."

Sesshomaru remained impassive to Kagura's sincere plea. "Whatever I ask?"

"Serve till the moment I die, fulfill your every desire, just save my village and my parents."

"The parents that wanted to get rid of you by marrying you off? The village where your rapists may reside? The village the head of which rejected you and called you a whore?"

"They are still my parents who brought me up and cared for me. And others are people… who I grew up with. Even if some deserve punishment for their past misdeeds, they don't deserve to die this way. Please, help them. Only you can."

"This Sesshomaru does already own your life, Kagura."

"Please," Kagura begged, holding back sobs. "I'll do anything."

The heart-wrenching silence lasted for several minutes. Kagura started to get cold, feeling the earth dampness soaking her kimono, but she remained on her knees, afraid to show disrespect and thus seal the terrifying fate of her village.

"I will do what you ask, Kagura, if till the end of your living days you take care of Rin and bring flowers to the grave in Inuyasha's village."

Kagura's brain stopped all rational thinking. She surely didn't ask what grave he was talking about, but was that all? "Is this the only thing you ask?"

"I ask you to devote your whole life to another. You will never have a family, nor can you have your own children. You are giving your life up for the lives of the inhabitants of your former village. This Sesshomaru doesn't need your life, but Rin does. Thus she will have it."

"So be it."

"So be it."

Sesshomaru was long gone, but Kagura remained on the meadow crying the night away.

…

The next several weeks were busy ones. All women and children were transported to Inuyasha's village for safety. Kagura didn't leave Rin even for a second. Somehow they both ended up in a shelter with Hitomi and her little son. The serpent hanoyu was breast feeding the baby, but her mind seemed to be elsewhere. She kept looking out of the nearby window.

"Is your husband out there too?" Kagura asked in a hush tone, not to disturb the baby.

"Yes, he said it would be the last quest. Then he will return to the family. I know that the barriers are set, and I know he is strong. I've seen him in battle many times, fought alongside him… But what if he doesn't return this time?"

"Don't worry, they are not supposed to fight them this time, right? Youkai slayers stay guard just in case," Kagura said in a weak attempt of reassurance. "How did you meet?" she asked to distract Hitomi from her fears.

"My youkai mother turned mad after the death of her human mate – my father – for centuries she was wreaking havoc on innocents. I didn't understand much while I was growing up, but when I reached maturity I understood that it had to end."

"By she is your mother!"

"She wasn't anymore, believe me. All that was left was a primal beast that destroyed everything around her. I sought help in the form of youkai slayers and found Kijasoku family. When my mother… was relived of her burdening existence, I joined the slayers' group. And well… it went on from there."

"But still, she was you mother. How could you kill her? Even through others' hands?"

"Can you imagine what it is to live for hundreds of years? Alone? Basically in confinement from human eyes? It's torture."

"It is," Kagura agreed, but wasn't thinking only about Hitomi's mother.

After that the shelter was filled with silence. Silence and anticipation. Were the rumors true? Were the locust accompanied by youkai? It became known in less than an hour.

First the horizon turned black, then an enormous black cloud crept over the sky, not a single hole in it for the sunlight to pass through. The flock neared with every second destroying everything that came on its way. The moment it neared the first houses of the village a loud hiss echoed through the night – the barrier was working.

Only two hours later the end of the cloud became visible. It almost passed the village when a sudden light blazed through the locust which broke it in half from the beginning till end.

"Oh look! It's Sesshomaru-sama," Rin cried, hopping up and down on Kagura's lap and pointing towards the skies her eyes full of excitement.

Out of pure curiosity Kagura looked out of the window. It all happened high in the sky, but it was impossible not to see a giant canine, swirling, biting his way through the midst of youkai.

"So beautiful," escaped Kagura's lips.

Yes, Sesshomaru's true form was enormously powerful, but it wasn't enough to defeat the quantities of foe. So he followed the only possible course of action. Baited the youkai with a treat that they couldn't pass up and drove them back to where they came from thus preventing the damage to any other village. That bait, however, was the taiyoukai himself.

The next morning was a sunny one. Nothing indicated of the great danger on the night before. Women and children brought from the neighboring villages were packing to get to their husbands and homes. Kagura, tightly holding on Rin's small hand, was searching for the wagon that was heading to their village when she passed three silver-haired men and couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"I don't get what got into him!" Inuyasha grunted, tossing another large bag onto the wagon as if weighted not more than a feather. "What was the point to drive them away? The usual show off? For what? I really don't understand that cold blooded bastard anymore, not that I ever did."

"But it did look kinda cool, Otou-san, (father)" Yasha retorted. "It was the first time I saw Oji-san's true form and I am eighty nine years old."

"Well now there is this bloody stench in the air," Inuyasha grumbled, sniveling his oversensitive nose. "Must be lying in some cave, leaking his wounds."

"Are you talking about Sesshomaru?" Kagura cut in.

"Obviously," Inuyasha replied. "Mister Rationality made a total fool of himself."

"But he saved the other villages."

"And since when something besides his lands did become Sesshomaru's business? I wonder how long he will recover from this stunt of his. I bet it will be at least a month."

"How can you talk like this? He is your brother!" Kagura yelled outraged.

"Well, he's never given a damn about me, only about me being killed by him. Disgrace of the family and all that," Inuyasha parried, looking Kagura over with a strange glance. As if he was checking something.

"Is he wounded?" she demanded.

"Well, what do you think?" Ryou joined the conversation, more an argument really. "I am not surprised he is still alive, but taking so many youkai at one time… Really not healthy for one youkai not matter how strong."

"Take me to him," Kagura ordered.

"What for?"

"Well, it is far from your comprehension, cold-blooded bastards."

Inuyasha flashed his fangs in a grin, but not because he and, most importantly, his sons were insulted. "Ryou, take Rin to Tanaki after finishing helping everybody with their bags. Yasha, take Kagura to Sesshomaru, but don't land too close to him. We must spare the great Sesshomaru some dignity, or he will really come after our cursed souls. You can follow the scent, right, Yasha?"

"It's really hard to miss. Others may've caught it too."

In a matter of seconds Rin was taken away from her and a wide back in blue haori appeared in front of her. Along the back ran a long silver plaid. Kagura became disoriented for a second, but got her wits together, hearing Yasha bark, "Well get on, we are not going to walk there."

And once again Kagura was in the air. This time the trip was jumpy and unexpectedly long. Finally they landed in thick woods near a shabby, half downfallen hut.

"Why are you here exactly?" Yasha questioned sniffing around for any unwelcome presence.

"It is my fault he is in this state."

"How come?"

"Don't you have places to be?" Kagura asked, irritated by the non-stop questioning. How could she answer if she didn't know it herself? Wasn't simple compassion enough? Compassion towards a youkai? Her way of thinking seemed to be really screwed. Has she changed so much during those six months of her new life?

"I am going to get rid of two pretty nasty things creeping up here, but after that you are on your own."

Left alone at last, Kagura stepped to the ancient dwelling. Upon entering she was swallowed by darkness – there was no light source in the hut, except for a small window. The moon shown through it, reflecting from Sesshomaru's pale skin.

Now even Kagura could feel the iron smell of blood. But even if Sesshomaru was obviously seriously wounded, his aura emitted strength and supremacy. The only thing that was missing was his humbling gaze since his eyelids were closed in slumber. Peaceful or not it was hard to tell.

Kagura went through the ruckus of fallen beams and sat down beside the sleeping youkai. "I am sorry I made you to go through that… that monstrous ordeal. I didn't think it would be so big."

"Do you, a mere human woman, imply that it was too much to handle for this Sesshomaru?" came response in a low but steady voice.

"I am here to apologize and all he is thinking about is his bruised ego, bloody hell!" Kagura snapped under her breath.

"Why are you here? Your place is beside Rin."

"Who are you to tell me where my place is?" she blew up, not even attempting to keep her voice down this time.

"If you need a visual assessment that your parents are indeed alive-"

"I do not. We have an agreement and I will fulfill it, but for Kami-sama's sake, she has a father and isn't totally helpless herself. I shouldn't be and can't be stick to her _all_ the time. In any case I came to help _you_ so you better appreciate it."

"I will, if you at least stop shouting," Sesshomaru groaned, flinching. So far such displeasure was the only indication of his weakened health.

"Sorry," she said in a low whisper this time.

"Still, you are not needed here. I will recover in less than seven days."

"Then I will stay to count."

Nothing was said afterwards. Kagura got comfortable wrapping herself into the monomoko and eventually fell asleep. Through the night she heard rumble and rustle of numerous creatures around the hut, but nobody dared to draw closer. She wondered what was protecting them.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Deep sleep was a rare occurrence in Sesshomaru's extremely long life. Even inside strongholds youkai were sleeping light, remaining aware of their surroundings to prevent any possible attack. That night his sleep was soundless but dreamless. He reasoned it was because of his condition, then anything, _anybody_ else.

Sesshomaru was awakened by a strong smell of burning fire. As it turned out Kagura cleared the fireplace from rubble and managed not only to light up a fire, but to put a kettle which looked to contain some sort of food in it.

"You will need a major clean up when you leave here. Your former white outfit resembles more Inuyasha's red clothes from all the blood," Kagura remarked conversationally, stirring whatever was boiling in the kettle.

"It will fade with time. How did you know this Sesshomaru was already awake?"

"I felt this piercing gaze on the back of my neck, meaning you are displeased with something once again. Even you can't be angry and asleep at the same time." Kagura's explanation was accompanied by an impish grin she didn't wait to show Sesshomaru. "I've gathered some mushrooms and berries from the nearby forest. Also some herbs for tea. You are welcome to join me."

"I don't eat human food."

"I doubt it your invincibility will be compromised by consuming some normal food. Just to keep me company. What youkai eat anyway? Beside corpses and humans that is."

Sesshomaru stood up, with slight, but only slight difficulty, as Kagura noted, and started walking towards the fire. On the way to his destination lay two thick wood beams that held the roof in their better days. With one hand Sesshomaru tossed them out through the half ruined roof.

"You seem to be recovering," Kagura commented, unable to hide her awe. She heard stories about youkai inhuman abilities while she was growing up, but never witnessed it firsthand. And it was really impressive. No wonder ordinary women fell for them- Stop! What was she thinking?

Sesshomaru sat down cross-legged by the fire, looking somewhere into the distance, good thing the wall wasn't obstructing his view.

"Here," she said tired of the silence, handing Sesshomaru a large putamen with semi-transparent liquid. He took it, but continued to stare. "Do you know who Shippo is?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Well, I heard Inuyasha's sons talking about him and how they missed him and the like."

"Why do you want to know?" Sesshomaru asked again in the same bored voice.

"Because if we don't talk, I'll die of boredom, dammit! That's why!" Kagura exclaimed in irritation, putting her putamen too forcefully onto the floor, thus splashing tea onto her kimono. "Now look what you've done!" she complained with a childish pout.

"We will talk when you grow up."

Kagura stared at the stain for some time, but then simply ripped out the dirty part of the cloth, which led to ripping off almost the whole front part of the kimono below the waist. "At least you are willing to talk to me, that's really growing up on your part. Hey! Where are you going?" Kagura cried only now noting Sesshomaru's movement from the fireplace to the door – his movements were completely silent.

"Where you shouldn't follow."

Kagura obviously ignored the warning. She followed him from afar, fully knowledgeable that he was aware of her presence, but she didn't give a damn. Kagura asked herself why she was so curious about the youkai every hour she spent near him. He was an enigma, but surely not for her to solve. She could always ask Tanaki about the youkai world, she didn't have to follow one around. But Sesshomaru seemed to be special somehow. Not because he was taiyoukai, but because of something else. Kagura just couldn't define it. Maybe because he didn't act like any taiyoukai should?

Her musings were interrupted by Sesshomaru coming to a halt. The green whip lashed out and came around the neck of a deer. The deer – a large male, probably the leader of the pack – didn't even attempt to fight back; it must've understood the fruitlessness of any try, understood who was in front of him.

The next sequences of events happened in mere seconds and made Kagura seriously regret her not remaining in the hut. Sesshomaru's hand crashed into the deer's chest and reappeared a moment later with a heart in it. It was still beating. Even before the lifeless animal fell onto the ground Sesshomaru's extended fangs sank into the flesh, blood dripping over his long pale fingers.

"Oh Kami-sama," escaped Kagura's lips followed by her light breakfast.

"I told you to stay," Sesshomaru uttered calmly, crimson blood still running from the corner of his lips. "We are who we are. Humans are weak; they mask themselves with different layers to hide their true identity. And those who don't are too naïve to dispose of the layers of others. Youkai are always what they are – bloodthirsty beasts who will always kill for survival. Nothing can change that."

"A youkai who protects humans is not a youkai anymore. It means he has turned soft, weak." There was no malice in Kagura's words, just a statement of fact. As if she wasn't talking about Sesshomaru personally, as if asking him about his opinion on the subject, as if he wasn't called weak by a mere human woman. "Who are you then?"

"What is your destiny, Kagura?"

"As a woman my destiny is to take care of a household, be a respecting wife and a caring mother. As a raped woman my destiny is to be lost in shame and revenge. As a resurrected person my destiny is to serve the one who brought me to life. But I, Kagura, choose neither. If I am to wed then it will be to a man I deeply care for, if I am to share a bed with a man, it will be only when I desire so; and if someone's saves my life only because I look like someone from his past, then he is a worthless master."

"Then you will forever be alone. Even if there are others around you."

"So what should I do? Submit?"

"This Sesshomaru doesn't care about your life choices."

"But you care about Rin." Just for a millisecond something moved in Sesshomaru's static pools of gold. "You want me to take care of her. Too many layers for a youkai, isn't it?" she asked with a squint of an eye, as if sizing him up.

It was pointless for Sesshomaru to deny that there was something between them. A connection of sorts, an understanding. And yet they knew nothing about each other, or did they?

…

The following two days were spent in silence. Kagura was busy smoking the deer's meat, gallantly provided by Sesshomaru. She flinched every time his claw scratched a bone, but she had food, having no other tools in the middle in the forest – the ordeal was a good one, if the psychological part wasn't taken into consideration.

"Shippo is a kitsun brat whom Inuyasha took in," Sesshomaru said out of blue on the third day.

Startled by his voice Kagura dropped the kettle with boiling water which she prepared for making tea. Most unfortunately, the hot water went right onto Kagura's hands. "Kso! Couldn't you wait till I put it down? Damn, it hurts! It hurts!" She rushed towards the river nearby to ease her pain in cool water, but Sesshomaru's outstretched arm blocked her path.

"It will be no use."

"Standing here doesn't help either!"

With a brush of one of the claws against his finger, Sesshomaru drew a drop of blood. "Give me your hands."

"What are you…" One drop fell on each of Kagura's hands and the burns were gone in less than a minute. "What is this?"

"Youkai have immense healing powers, didn't you know?"

"Well, yes, but doesn't it only work for the youkai themselves? And don't you usually leak your wounds?" she finished with a forced chuckle. The situation was starting to get weird. Why was he healing her?

"I doubt you will feel comfortable with that," Sesshomaru replied, releasing her hands.

"Yeah well," Kagura drawled flopping down beside him.

"What about the tea?"

"Hell with it," she grunted. Complete loss of control over her thoughts resulted in loss over her limbs as well. What was she doing? Why was she getting involved with the youkai, instead of living with Tanaki and Rin where her worst worry was dinner food's absence? Because he resurrected her? Or the reason he did it? "So you were telling me about Shippo?" she said finding a distraction. "Why did he leave?"

"He went to find a kitsun tribe. It was time for him to find a mate."

"Why did he go to another end of the world if there are hundreds of youkai right in Inuyasha's village?"

"The call of blood. Instincts still draw to ones of your own kind."

"So that's why you walk from village to village to check on your pack?"

Sesshomaru's upper lip twitched in contempt. "This Sesshomaru-"

"Enough of this pretending! Hitomi's baby's blood is inside you. You are connected to all of them. I saw scars on Tanaki's cheekbones. Come to think of it, if I marry Tanaki, will you do the same to me?"

"You won't marry him."

"I know, I know, because my life belongs to Rin."

"Because he is going to marry his mistress."

"What? But what about me? Will he just toss me out of the house? And what about Rin? And why are you telling it to me only now? How long did you know?" Kagura yelled, hitting Sesshomaru on the shoulder, making the monomoko to fall in between them.

"Having a woman in a house and not having her is a challenge for any man."

"And I am sitting here, in the middle of the woods while Tanaki is using my absence to get wed with whatever slut she is! Men are such scum! When I return, I will have nothing else to do but to leave! Where am I going to go? And it is all your fault!" Kagura sobbed hitting him once again, her fists feeling like pebbles against his rock body.

"It is your fault, Kagura. You should've married Tanaki from the start."

"But I don't want to marry him!" she wailed. "This life or the other – it's just a mess," Kagura concluded, dropping her forehead onto Sesshomaru's shoulder.

"Your life belongs to Rin, so you will stay with her. You will-"

"Stop it! You are bossing me around again!" Kagura burst in anger and affront. "You told me to raise Rin, and I will do it. But I will do it my way. It is obvious that the only one among us, who knows anything about raising girls, is me!"

Sesshomaru didn't respond. He just sat there, staring into the sky.

"Moronic buffoon!"

Precisely at that moment Yasha landed in front of them a mixture of shock and amusement on his face.

"You look well, Oji-san," he greeted, trying to contain laughter by any means.

"What is your business here, Yasha?"

"Well, mother sent me," Yasha began, looking from Kagura pissed off expression to Sesshomaru's blank one. Something interesting was going on, but what? "To check if Kagura-san was well and if she wants to come home."

"He hasn't eaten me yet, as you see," Kagura spat. Pissed off indeed. "And yes, you are just in time, I will be thankful for you to bring me to Tanaki's."

"Bring her to Naruki and Hitomi's. She will look after the newborn. I will arrive with Rin shortly."

"The Hell?" both Kagura and Yasha cried at the same time.

There wasn't any reply as usual. Sesshomaru just rose into the sky in a sparkling sphere.

"He is still not well enough," Yasha mumbled under his breath then turned to Kagura. "Well, the trip to Naruki's is a bit longer than to Tanaki's-"

"I am not going!"

"Listen, woman, don't mess with me," Yasha warned, flashing his fangs. "And most importantly, don't mess with _him_. Oji-san told you to go there, so you'll go there."

"I don't belong to your pack or whatever, I am free to do whatever I want! And if you are such a pussy to be afraid of him, it is your problem!"

"Do you know what happened to that locust flock? Well there is nothing left of it. Both locust and the youkai. It is pointless to doubt his strength. It is no shame to be afraid of a taiyoukai. Even my father is a bit cautious of him. You called him a buffoon and remained alive. Don't stretch your luck for another time, lady. Just be a good girl and get onto my back."

Kagura had no choice but to comply. Feeling wind playing with her hair, she kept asking herself two questions: why she insulted him and why she stayed alive after that.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Everything happened exactly as Sesshomaru said. When she arrived at Naruki's, a message came announcing Tanaki's wedding. Kagura didn't show her face there. She didn't have any personal attachment to Tanaki, so it wasn't jealousy that drove her actions. She was hurt that being a perfect housewife, doing everything necessary to keep a good household, she was forgotten when the bed warmer appeared.

Rin was indeed brought quite soon, even before the wedding. When Kagura asked her about her feelings about being separated from her father, she replied that she was fine. It was much better to be with Kagura-chan than with a new mother.

And so they stayed at Naruki and Hitomi's spacious and comfortable house. Kagura had nothing to complain about except for Nakuki's buddies, the youkai slayers. There was no escape from their lecherous glances, hints and even gropes. With time she got used to it, and blamed it on the men's nature, not because they meant ill to her.

A tradition for Kagura to entertain the guests formed when Rin announced that Kagura was quite skillful at singing. Turned out that it wasn't only singing.

"So what will it be tonight?" Kagura asked with a tired sigh. She had been doing chores the whole day, so playing geisha was her last wish at the moment.

The men began a loud discussion, but a voice from the doorstep made them shut their months with a snap. "Fan dance."

Kagura wasn't surprised. Somehow she gained awareness for Sesshomaru's presence. Whenever he entered the village, she felt a powerful aura moving in the air. She turned towards the door and bowed to the master of the house. Not a direct one, but Kagura came to understanding that Naruki's regard towards Sesshomaru was of highest respect. The reason was unknown to her, but the household had it rules, so she had to follow. Kagura wasn't exactly against that…

"I will bring the fans then."

Kagura hurried towards her room, shaking with nerves. _He _was never present at their small gatherings. Why did he have to come that day? If he says even one word about her poor performance… She'll break the fans against his head!

With new-founded determination Kagura began her dance. She wasn't that good of a dancer, but her movements were elegant and fluent enough to enchant her audience. Music changed to a faster tune and Kagura's movements became more rapid, as if she was not dancing but fighting, using fans as weapons. If everybody's eyes hadn't been fixed on Kagura's dance, they could've seen a smile that graced Sesshomaru's thin lips.

The fans snapped shut – the dance reached its end. Kagura bowed for the applauding audience. She shot a glance at his direction to find him sitting motionless like always, but there was something different about the youkai. And he was looking right at her! For some reason Kagura felt herself blushing. His golden gaze was burning through her like a real fire. Why was she feeling so weird? Nothing new happened that night, everything was the same. Kagura concluded that she was simply flushed from the dance.

"Are you alright, Kagura-chan?" asked the always concerned Rin.

"Everything is fine, itoshigo (beloved dear child). It is time for you to get to bed."

"Okay."

When they left the room, Kagura could still feel the burning gaze on her back.

….

The sun had set long ago, but Kagura still couldn't fall asleep. That penetrating gaze still couldn't leave her mind. It was as if he was looking at _her_, as if he looked at her very soul, and she allowed him.

Her window had a view of the garden with the pond. During sleepless nights Kagura often looked at it with the moon reflecting in the dark water, envisioning the taiyoukai bathing in the moonlight, his long hair blown by the wind. It was a mystery how somebody so dangerous could be so beautiful, at least on the outside. The inside remained covered by layers that were impossible to bare.

"His true form, the ferocious beast that resides inside him, is it what he really is?" she asked herself, stepping towards the window once again. This time however she didn't need to use her imagination – Sesshomaru was standing right there, gazing into the depths of the dark waters.

Drawn by some invisible force, Kagura sat down onto the windowsill and jumped out of the window. It was pointless to try to surprise him, so Kagura openly walked across the garden and towards the pond, taking a seat at the ground. She let out a gasp, feeling the monomoko encircling her. "Thank you." No response. "I suppose you were at Tanaki's wedding." A slight nod from Sesshomaru. "So who is his new wife?"

"A widow with a son of her own."

"A good setting for her, I presume," Kagura said with disgust.

"The union is mutually beneficial."

"I bet," Kagura grumbled. "So what did Tanaki say when you took Rin away?"

"He agreed it was better for all involved."

"Do you get some sick satisfaction when nobody says 'no' to you? I mean, you order and it's done. Do you have a ruler complex? If so, why don't you become a shogun or even the Emperor?"

"This Sesshomaru's walked this land long enough to know how everything must be done."

"What about the change? The evolvement?"

"Nothing changes. Every generation completes its circle and gives place to the next generation. The minor changes that happen don't affect the general direction of humanity."

"What about youkai? They don't totally extinct only because of joined offspring with humans. Isn't that a significant change?"

"Foolishness is the ever present trait of all living beings."

"Except you, of course," she said holding back a chuckle.

"This Sesshomaru doesn't allow himself to do anything that could disgrace him."

"I can see that. I also see the mask you wear. Despite you telling that youkai don't have one. I wonder if the woman you trusted could see it too. Or she probably didn't, otherwise you wouldn't trust her. What did she do to gain your trust? Became your slave?"

"She went to Hell and back. Her body was one of a slave, but her soul was free as the wind she commanded. I didn't kill her master, thus watched her die."

Kagura listened with baited breath to every word he said. The words were simple but so full of emotion that couldn't be seen or heard. It could only be felt, and Kagura indeed felt it – the boundless desperation for things that couldn't be undone. "I am sorry if I insulted her memory," Kagura apologized softly, watching the dimple of the pond water. "She must've been a very strong woman; I wish I could be as strong as her."

"The strength of a woman is measured by her devotion to a man."

"But a woman on her own must be even stronger than the one who is kept under man's protection," Kagura retorted.

"A woman shouldn't be on her own. That's why I free you from your obligations-"

"Don't you dare take Rin from me! I love her as if she was my own daughter! Don't you even think-"

"Not to have a family of your own. You can marry and have your own children as you wished previously."

Kagura's vigor instantly evaporated. "If I marry, will you take Rin away?"

"You are her caretaker till she settles with a man of her choice."

Whatever Kagura was going to say was postponed by Yasha's arrival, who covered the moonlight with his large figure. "Mum went into labor. She requested you and Hitomi to help."

"Oh okay." With adjusting to the new life, Kagura totally forgot that Kagome was pregnant. She stood up, brushed the grass from the kimono and headed towards Yasha to get onto his back as usual, but instead her knees buckled because of the alien pressure and the next thing she knew - she was in the sky. Miraculously she managed to grab onto Sesshomaru's neck in time not to fall down from his arm.

….

The whole Inuyasha village was on up and about. Sesshomaru landed right in front of Inuyasha's house, Yasha and Hitomi followed soon after. Kagura slipped from Sesshomaru's arm to be swallowed by the women that were moving into the house with Hitomi.

"Shippo has returned," Yasha stated, looking at his uncle's broad back.

"Not alone, I presume."

"He came to receive Otou-san's approval, which was granted."

"Are you planning to follow his example?"

"I am of age already, but in twenty years maybe? When there is less youkai to hunt, and… No matter," he finished with blush spreading over his cheeks.

"You will need something to protect your mate with. You both will receive from me what you desire when you, the eldest, are mated."

"What was that all about, I wonder?" Yasha asked himself, watching Sesshomaru leave the village with his majestic gait. "He could've at least acknowledged his niece."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

_~Three years later~_

"Look how've you grown up, Rin!" Kagura noted, seeing that yet another yukata became too small for the girl.

"But we can buy lots of new ones at the festival, can't we, Kagura-chan?"

"We can, but you must wear something there, right?"

"Well, I can ask Kiroko to lend me one, she is my height."

"I have a better idea." Kagura went to her room and brought a casket where she kept her wardrobe. She opened it and picked out one of the kimonos. "I remember you really like this one."

"But, Kagura-chan, it is one of your best kimonos!" Rin protested.

"I'll wear something else, and as you said, 'We can always buy new clothes at the festival'."

"But we must look our best! The whole family will be there!"

"That's why you must accept my present. I'll make something for myself."

"Okay, but I'll help you with yours. Promise?"

"Promise."

The household was wild with preparations for the harvest festival at Inuyasha's village. The festival happened every year, but every five years all Rin's descendants gathered together as one family. To Kagura's understanding, it was the time to show how well off you'd become in five years since the last festival, introduce new children and spouses. She also couldn't help but wonder what her place was in the gathering. How will she even introduce herself?

Those thoughts were put on hold however by Rin, who made it her mission to find the perfect kimono for Kagura. They had been walking the market for hours, but their search was fruitless. And then Kagura saw it – the most perfect garment ever. Its whiteness instantly reminded her of the snow white outfit of the youkai who hadn't visited six months already.

It must've been his long absence that made her do what she did. But it was pointless to dwell on the past, she had to move forward, to a better life. And she certainly couldn't do it without the creamy white kimono with black flower patterns.

Due to the presence of children ordinary means of transportation were used to get to Inuyasha village. The whole ride Kagura was listening once again about who was who in the family. Came out that humans were only the founders of the lineage – Rin and Kohaku. All others had youkai blood or their spouses had it. She also wondered how she would interact with Tanaki and his new family. She definitely didn't want a scandal of any sort, especially one involving Rin.

On the fourth day of the tiring ride, they'd finally reached Inuyasha village. Naruki headed the wagon towards Inuyasha's house right away. They reached it only several hours later however, since they had to stop to greet numerous acquaintances, friends, friends of friends and relatives. Kagura felt really awkward among that mass of complete strangers. She was introduced as Rin's caretaker and tried to remember everybody whom they met not to embarrass herself during the festival which was to begin on the next day.

…

"Common, Kagura-chan, just one more stand!" Rin shouted over the crowd, dragging Kagura through the rows of festival stands.

"Okay, but this is the last one," Kagura conceded. "It is past your bedtime already, Rin. If you don't get enough sleep, you won't be able to visit all the remained stands tomorrow."

"I promise it will be the last one!"

But of course it wasn't the last one. Kagura had been dragged around for at least two more hours till Rin was only stopped by her exhausted legs and hurting stomach from all the food she consumed during her food stands' spree. Rin securely tucked in on the futon in the room provided in Inuyasha's house, Kagura headed to the family dinner.

At times Kagura wondered what position Inuyasha and Kagome held at their village. She knew that the village's name was not connected to anything Inuyasha did, the name just stuck as he was stuck to a tree for half a century. Their house was as large as the house of the head of the village, if not bigger. Did they accumulate wealth from the abnormally long life they live? Or did the house have other purposes? Like housing the whole clan of Sesshomaru? Technically, they were not related to Inuyasha in any way, as far as Kagura knew.

"I really don't care about this stuff right now. No doubt I will be asked a lot of questions the moment I step through the door. And I don't really have the answers."

By the time she had gotten to the right room it was already full and the only available place was… She wasn't exactly surprised.

"How did you find the festival?" Sesshomaru uttered the moment Kagura got seated beside him.

Kagura raised her eyebrows in surprise. It sounded as if he couldn't wait anymore to say those words. As if he was waiting the whole day to say something to her. "Thanks to Rin, I've managed to see all the stands. I wonder what we will do tomorrow. I doubt I will survive the repetition of today."

"Tomorrow is the day for games."

"That must be lovely."

"Indeed."

"It is a full moon tonight. Must be quite a view from the hill outside the village," Kagura remarked sounding nonchalant, but her trembling chopsticks gave away her nervousness.

"Indeed."

Meanwhile on the other end of the table…

"Mum, can you tell me what is going on between Oji-san and that woman?"

"What could you possibly mean by that, Yasha?" Kagome asked in return, but still threw a glance at Sesshomaru and Kagura who seemed to be having a casual conversation.

"Because whenever I come for Kagura, he is always in the vicinity. Moreover, she insults him, even dares to hit him, and Oji-san doesn't move a finger against her. And when you asked to bring her to help with delivery, he didn't allow me to carry her. And look at them now – their clothes freaking match!" Yasha exclaimed in hushed whisper.

"So what? Are you perhaps jealous, my son?" Kagome asked, her glance full of amusement.

"Of course not!" he heatedly protested. "You know that Youko is the only one for me. I just want to know what's going on. Oji-san's never acted like this, I just know it."

"Let your Oji-san be, Yasha. He is just struggling not to have a good time."

"This makes no sense, mother."

"You'll understand only when you lose something truly dear to you and then receive another chance to gain it back."

…..

The moon was indeed beautiful that night. If one was standing on the hill, then it seemed to be so close one could touch it. Kagura watched the moon too, but not the real one. The moonlight flickered in some amazing ways when ascending onto Sesshomaru's forehead.

"I saw Shippo today. And his… mate, I presume," Kagura finally said to fill up the silence. She just couldn't work up the courage to bring up the subject why she called him out. Of course, she didn't even hope for the taiyoukai to show up. "They look lovely together. How do youkai find mates for themselves? Is it easier than with humans?"

"Do you ask because you can't make your choice?" Sesshomaru asked back.

"And what if I do?" Kagura blurted, instantly going onto defensive.

"Does it concern the matter that Hitomi told me to ask you about?"

"What could you possibly be talking about?"

"Something happened to you two months ago."

"It isn't this Sesshomaru's business," she mocked, but certainly standing her ground on not disclosing anything about the incident.

"Was a man involved?"

"How do you know?"

Sesshomaru smirked. "Humans are so simple. All men's problems enroll around women, and it's backwards with women. What man decided to cross your path, Kagura?"

Kagura draw her gaze to the ground. She didn't want him to know. For the sake of all parties involved. And also because she was ashamed of allowing it to happen. On the other hand, she couldn't fight him, somehow Sesshomaru made her do or say anything he wanted without applying any pressure.

"Four months ago, a man approached me. One of the slayers that frequent Naruki's house. I remembered him as kind and joyful, not to mention, rather handsome. I accepted his courting. For two months it had been rather pleasant, but one evening he got drunk and… and he… forced himself on me. He didn't hit me or hurt me in any way. Apologized profusely in the morning too. Of course, I had to end it. And told nothing to anyone for his sake and mine. And you are not going to do anything to him!"

"Why should this Sesshomaru care for correcting your mistakes?"

"Because there is this fire in your eyes right now. As if you are out for blood. And no blood must be shared on such petite issue."

"So you forgave him?" Sesshomaru spat, his low, trembling voice, betrayed his attempt to hide his anger.

"Yes, because I was partly at fault too. While he was drunk he told me, I was a tease, belonging to no one and looking down on the men around me. And that is the truth. What really hurt was that he pointed out that since I am not a virgin anymore anyway, it was pointless to guard my reputation. He basically called me a whore. Yeah, that was what hurt the most. My past will follow me whenever I go and however I live," she finished with a tired sign. Despair and misery were the last feelings she wanted to drag out on such a beautiful night.

"Youkai find their mates by instinct. From the very first moment they know that the other youkai is suitable for them."

"With humans it is much more complicated. Humans seem not to be as simple in love affairs as youkai are," Kagura remarked with irony, referring to Sesshomaru's earlier statement. "And yet I envy them. It is like love at first sight, you only need to find the one for you. Are you still looking or was that wind youkai the one for you?"

Instead of responding, Sesshomaru turned around and started ascending from the hill.

"Wait! I want to give you something!" That made Sesshomaru stop, but he remained facing Kagura with his back. Thankful that she managed to grab his attention, Kagura took from her sleeve a long handmade braided ribbon. "It is a tradition to exchange gifts on festivals. Will you accept this? I doubt your hair bother you or anything, but-" Her babbling was stopped by the clawed hand reaching out and relieving her of her burden.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome."

Sesshomaru remained, towering over her, searching for something in her eyes. Kagura gazed back, amazed once again by the depth of the golden orbs. And then he was gone, leaving Kagura trembling from head to toe, recalling the feathery brushing of his nose against hers.

….

The second day of the festival was indeed devoted to games and competitions among men. Kagura encouraged Rin to go and play with other children, thus leaving her alone, but Kagura had to keep Rin's interests at heart. The girl managed to make some new friends after moving into the new home, but still was unusually socially unadapt for her age.

Kagura was looking at some textiles for the kimonos she and Rin planned to make after returning home, when she was approached by Hitomi.

"Did you manage to talk to Sesshomaru-sama before he left?" Hitomi asked without preamble.

"So he left, hm?" Kagura sighed, still engrossed in the cloth assortment. "You shouldn't have told him."

"I should've stopped it from happening," Hitomi retorted.

"No. I should've. But I couldn't. I didn't fight at all, only waited when everything would be over. I must learn to fight my own battles."

"Sesshomaru-sama will fight your battles, you know."

"Even if I am a mere human, I can do it myself," Kagura proclaimed heatedly.

"Your choice. Well, I'm going to root for my husband in the fighting competition. Moreover, Yasha promised to finally bring his future mate over."

"Future mate?"

"Well, he is of age. The problem is that she is only fifty years old. So he is waiting. That's we, with youkai blood, can do very well – wait for the time being just right."

"So she is a hanoyu?"

"Not in the common sense. Remember the blue haori he wears? It was made from the fur of bear youkai. Humans can't handle magical items, therefore make anything from them. And since Yasha not only wanted but needed a protective garment like his father's to be a successful youkai exterminator, he found the material and began the hunt for someone who could work with it. I don't know the details, only heard that it took him at least ten years to find a practitioner somewhere on the swamp, a mere girl back then."

"Love at first sight, ha?" Kagura said under her breath.

The girl was indeed a sight to behold with light blue hair, almost transparent skin and large blue eyes, shining like sapphires. Yasha carried her on his shoulder, for her delicate figure not to be hurt in the crowd. She looked not older than sixteen! Kagura was amazed by seeing the usually rough Yasha treat the girl as if she was Kami herself.

"The love of the youkai can be boundless, but only if their hearts are open for it. Do you see her, when you look at me, Sesshomaru?"


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry, everybody! My computer was taken away from me, because it needed repairs, so I didn't update last week. But now took quite extreme chapters.  
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**Chapter Seven**

Once again Kagura was called by Kagome to help, but this time not with the delivery but tending to the wounded. The whole Kijasoku family found shelter in Inuyasha's house. Kagura'd met a lot of youkai slayers already, but the scale of that family astonished and even terrified her. Fifty persons, women included, of all possible varieties. They were obviously not all blood related, but joined together to fight one foe. Along with humans there were hanoyu, priests, monks, mikos, even a couple of pure youkai, and they were all bleeding from wounds inflicted by all possible means: weaponry, poisons, some had whole chucks of flesh missing. Blood was everywhere.

"What happened?" Kagura asked Kagome, who was running from one cot to another.

"Some idiot sold his soul to youkai to get revenge or something, I don't particularly care about his motives. Whatever the reason he must be stopped, it is practically a war zone on the Western Lands' border already. I didn't see anything myself, but from what Inuyasha tells me… It's horrible!"

"But why there? Does this man have any personal interest in the Western Lands?"

"Seems that the contract with the youkai included the point that firstly they'll settle youkai's business, namely destroy Sesshomaru who the youkai has grudge against."

"Grudge against Sesshomaru? So it is personal?"

"Personal or not, people are dying and we have to help them."

Which they did. All women of the village had been dressing the wounds for three days straight. Only at the end of the fourth day some signs of recovery were seen, and for youkai it was definitely too long for comfort. Everyone who had hands and could stand firmly on their feet was engaged in providing care for the wounded, even children.

At the end of one of the exhausting days, Kagura found herself sleeping back to back with Kagome on one side and Rin on another. Her thoughts were in a scramble, the only thing she wanted was to fall into a deep sleep, so it was cause to that chaotic state of mind, Kagura dared to ask Kagome the question that was bugging her since the night she saw Sesshomaru last.

"Kagome? Are you asleep? I want to ask you something," Kagura said softly at Kagome's back.

"Shoot. I am still sane. I think," Kagome whispered back.

"What does it mean when youkai brush noses?"

"Well, I don't know about other species, but for inuyoukai it is a very special gesture. With inus it is all about scents. They can be blind and lose the sense of touch and hearing, but their noses will tell them everything they need. Males rarely brush noses, only when becoming blood brothers. With males and females… while brushing noses they exchange their scents, making the gesture very intimate, because no youkai can let another one be close enough to learn his scent, only if the other party is someone trusted. To make the story short, noses' brushing or touching for youkai is an equivalent of human's kissing. Why did you want to know?"

"Oh, just out of curiosity," Kagura replied in an empty voice, thankful that Kagome couldn't see her deadly pale face. Kami-sama, what should she do now? And did she even want to do anything?

…..

"I am taking Rin with me and that's final!"

"But Kagura, there is a war zone there. She may get hurt," Kagome pled with the raging woman.

"As if she can't be hurt here! Why do I need to go somewhere I don't even know?"

"Because Sesshomaru requested you to be brought to him," Inuyasha interjected, appearing in the doorframe of Naruki's house. "He would've come in person, but he must be getting old for all these fighting activities; rests in his room more than he fights," he remarked sardonically.

"I will go, but Rin is coming with me. He will skin me alive if his precious Rin is left alone without supervision. These are must last words," Kagura declared.

Neither Kagome nor Inuyasha could talk Kagura out of her decision. They didn't exactly try, seeing blazes of sheer determination in her nearly red eyes. They were also surprised not to receive any objection from Kagura whatsoever on the subject of Sesshomaru's summoning her anywhere at all. She agreed but only on her terms, which was quite remarkable for a human woman. Sesshomaru, who believed himself superior to all living things, will certainly be disgruntled to find out that his orders, and bringing Kagura was no request, were taken out wrong. And Inuyasha wasn't going to explain the situation; it was all Kagura's doing, so it was she who would deal with Sesshomaru. Inuyasha really wanted to be present during that confrontation.

The wounded needed care so the group of only four, which included Kagome, Inuyasha, Kagura and Rin, departed from Inuyasha village and headed towards the border of the Western Lands.

Kagura and Rin were cared by a youkai, a familiar lent from one of the slayers which resembled a horse. Kagome was cared by Inuyasha. In such an assembly they reached the border – an enormous mountain rage – in not more than eight hours.

From the height of their flight Kagura could see a majestic, two store palace on the very top of the rage. "What is this building?" she asked in awe.

"The residence of the Lord of the Western Lands," Inuyasha replied. "I didn't even know it existed till I was told a week ago. The Inu clan lived there till father's death, then it was disbanded since Sesshomaru didn't claim the position of the ruler as it was. The whole place reeks and is covered with dust. You'd better not wonder around, little girl," he instructed Rin.

"Sesshomaru-sama will protect me," Rin declared with utmost faith.

They landed in an inside park which looked rather well kept in spite of the palace to be deserted for at least two hundred years. The park wasn't deserted however, but occupied by the master of the house himself.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin cried, jumping down from the horse, making a bee line for Sesshomaru, attempting to crush his legs in a hug.

To Inuyasha's total shock no protest was showed, Sesshomaru simply took Rin into his arms and cared inside. The others had nothing to do but to follow. Naturally, Kagura looked around since she had never been in fancy houses, but was disappointed. The palace didn't look much different from any other house with rice paper inner walls and bamboo floor mats. There were however some intricate ornaments and decorations on the walls from time to time, and if Kagura knew any better, they were several centuries old. They entered a spacious room that executed the function of a sitting room with a long table and mats beside it.

Sesshomaru put Rin onto one of the mats where lay a bunch of flowers and took seat in the head of the table. Rin instantly engrossed herself with making a crown out of them. Inuyasha flopped down on Sesshomaru's right with Kagome beside him, but Kagura took seat on the other side, closer to Rin, but also closer to Sesshomaru.

"We are under siege," the taiyoukai announced.

"Doesn't look like it," Inuyasha grunted.

"They attack every morning with no exception, and somehow their numbers don't dwindle."

"What about the source? The possessed human? Was he found?" Kagome inquired.

"He is located in the nearby town's brothel," Sesshomaru answered.

"Then why are we sitting here?" Inuyasha exclaimed, "Let's just blast the whole thing!"

Kagome slapped her mate over the head. "You hothead! There are innocent people there!"

"The additional hindrance is that the human brought a monk who cast a purifying barrier over the village, so no youkai or hanoyu can enter."

"And you know all this how?" Inuyasha asked clearly not believing Sesshomaru's words. "You couldn't have heard it all from here."

"Loyalty still exists."

"But this village isn't situated on your lands," Kagome noted.

"Loyalty transcends mere territorial borders." After a pause, Sesshomaru continued, "The situation we are in is the following: none of us can enter the village and deal with the offenders."

"I can go," Kagura chipped in. "The question is, who do you want me to deal with – the monk or the possessed human. It is easier to get near the human, but killing him won't put the youkai to rest, on the other hand killing the man is pretty pointless, he is not at fault for organizing attacks on Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha and Kagome just openly gaped at Kagura after she presented her speech. They couldn't even start to rationalize the plan she suggested, because their minds were clouded by the thought of a human taking upon herself the task of fighting for the youkai, even killing for him… Unspeakable.

Sesshomaru on the other hand… "So be it," he approved with a nod. "We will discuss the details after food is served. Now this Sesshomaru will show the room where Rin and Kagura will be staying."

Hearing her name Rin jumped from her mat and onto Kagura's lap, placing a crown of flowers onto her head. "Now you look even more pretty," the girl stated.

"What in the Hell is going on?" Inuyasha demanded when he and Kagome were left alone. "Why did he agree? I am not talking about him caring about Kagura going on a suicidal mission, just the whole point of letting her do it. Sesshomaru would've never allowed anybody do anything for him concerning enemy's defeat. Honor and other rubbish. And now he just did, just like that. And to a woman, _human_ woman no less. So tell me, Kagome, what is it all about?"

"It is rather mystifying, but maybe it's all very simple. Time will tell. I am mainly interested in how Sesshomaru will treat Kagura if she succeeds."

Meanwhile in the other part of the palace…

"Stay here for awhile, Rin," Sesshomaru said, sliding the door closed. "Kagura will return shortly."

"From where will I return exactly?"

"Come and see for yourself."

The walk was long enough for Kagura to wipe out the goofy smile she was unable to contain, seeing Sesshomaru's new hairstyle: a low ponytail held together by her present. They stepped into another room which looked like a bedroom in frequent use, but there was nothing in it beside a futon. Kagura didn't need a second guess to deduct whose bedroom they were in, his intentions, however, remained a mystery. From a shadow covered corner Sesshomaru retrieved two objects and handed them to Kagura.

"Fans," Kagura stated, staring dumbfounded at two silver-white fans with blood-red patterns. "Why?"

"For something that is given, something must be given in return."

"Oh. Thank you then." She accepted the fans and made several movements. "They are heavier than usual."

"Those are no ordinary fans, they are indestructible, can even stop a sword's blade."

"What are they made of then?" Kagura asked, tracing the unusual material. It wasn't paper, nor was it silk. It was something in between, but it was impossible for Kagura to grasp its name.

"No matter. With these fans you can protect yourself and Rin."

"They can become quite handy tonight too. I am going _tonight_, am I not?"

"If you wish."

"What am I getting out of this? I don't want to risk my life for nothing."

Sesshomaru smirked. "What do you want, Kagura?"

"What can you give?"

"I can preserve your beauty for the following fifty years."

Kagura placed the fan in front of her face to cover her blush. "Are you talking about granting eternal youth or are you complimenting me?"

"Whichever suits you."

Kagura's beautiful face became screwed with a scowl. She was tired of Sesshomaru's awaseveness. If he was saying that she was beautiful in his eyes then why not just say so? Was that considered some sort of defeat on his part? At the same time he let her chose, so he wasn't exactly denying his thoughts that her features appealed to him. In reality they were not even _her_ features, but the wind youkai that Sesshomaru trusted long ago.

"Damn you," she spat, snapping the fan shut. "Your pride has no bounds. Despite the fact, I will take your offer. I will be a fool not to. Why does that youkai bare a grudge against you anyway?"

"This Sesshomaru killed him."

"Any particular reason why you took his life?"

"He attacked me."

"How boring. Hopefully, he wasn't just passing by."

"His fiancée was pledged to me by her father."

"So it's all about a woman?" Kagura exclaimed with outrage. It was hard to determine whether she was angry about the fact that she was risking her life and women's honor because of a primal dispute of two males over a female, or because one of the males was Sesshomaru.

"The woman's father wanted to get a better bargain on the lands so he used this Sesshomaru's status for leverage. I've never met the bitch. But that came to light only after the hot-headed lover attacked and fell by my hand."

"So he is also an inuyoukai? And he doesn't have a clue that it was a misunderstanding?" Kagura asked now in a more moderate tone, satisfied by the explanation.

"He had four hundred years to get confident in his rightness and to build up enough hate to break through the border between the worlds to be summoned by a human."

"Four hundred?" she asked incredulously. "How old are you exactly?"

"Almost eight hundred years old."

"Incredible. You must've seen so many things, talked to so many people."

"Finished so many lives. Long life doesn't mean-"

"A happy one?"

"Go and bring Rin to the room we were before. The dinner will be served shortly," Sesshomaru rapped out and stormed out of the room.

"Coward," Kagura said under her breath, fully aware that it wasn't left unheard.

The dinner was a strangled affair. Kagura, Kagome and Rin were served with stew by some unknown person, Inuyasha bit into a deer's leg and Sesshomaru just sat, staring at the opposite wall. The final plan, that was supposed to be discussed during dinner, was put together by Kagome, who seemed to already receive her mate's approval.

The plan was the following: Kagura was to, firstly, determine the whereabouts of both the priest and the possessed human. Then render innocuous the priest for him to be incapable of upholding the barrier. The others will be on standby, the moment the barrier falls everything will be finished.

Kagome waited for any comment from Sesshomaru, but there was none, she then moved her glance to Kagura, but the latter didn't say anything either.

"Are you going somewhere, Kagura-chan?" Rin asked with big puppy eyes with tears ready to spill out any moment.

"I'll leave for a couple of days. Sesshomaru-sama will look after you while I am gone."

"But come back soon, okay?"

"Okay." Kagura wanted to say something else, but saw Sesshomaru stand and move towards the door. It was her cue to follow him once again. She threw a glance at his ponytail for having nothing better to do and noticed that it was not the only difference of the hairstyle. The hair seemed shorter somehow, but she was not sure.

They stopped at the edge of the cliff. Kagura looked down and shuddered. The height was unimaginable. As if they were standing on clouds.

"You, youkai, do believe you are Kamis to live on such a high place. Let's go then," Kagura said sounding tired. Her arms slithered around Sesshomaru's neck in a familiar motion and the next moment they were falling on an incredible speed, gliding against the mountain and maneuvering around the coming out rocks. She knew that there was no danger of her falling, but still tightened her hold at some point. The landing was as sudden as the start of the descent.

"If the barrier doesn't come down in five days we will assume you failed," Sesshomaru stated, putting Kagura onto the ground.

"Very encouraging, thank you," Kagura grunted, but remained beside him.

"On the way to town are hot springs. Clean your clothes and yourself, so our scents won't be detected on you."

"To stink of a dog, brrrr," Kagura said with a naughty smile. "What about something for good luck?"

Before Sesshomaru could respond, Kagura put her hands on his shoulders, rose to tip toes and traced one side of his nose with the tip of hers. She did it exceptionally slowly, so there would be no mistake of her actions being nonrandom. When she drew away and opened her eyes, Kagura burst out laughing. She just couldn't help it – the expression of pure surprise and shock in Sesshomaru's widened eyes was too much to bear.

"You thought, I wouldn't notice? Or think it was just the wind that time? And if nothing of the above – it was just an accident? No freaking way, Sesshomaru!" she cried, skipping down the road that should led her to the unknown.

That time the last word belonged to Kagura.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Kagura reached the town in the evening. At that time when the work was finished and the crowds were gathering for the entertainment of preferred kind. The town was large enough for the appearance of the newcomer to pass unnoticed. Fortunately, the town had only one brothel and Kagura directed her steps there without delay. The establishment had no competition so they were clearly understaffed, thus welcomed Kagura with opened arms. She decided on the character of a woman who would do anything for money and who had a lot to offer.

Kagura recognized her target right away. The man named Kishimaru was of middle-age and could be considered handsome for women attracted to roughish warriors with battle scars. He was grabbing one girl after another and tossing them aside, as if searching for someone special. And Kagura planned to be just that special someone.

That night her fan dance was the best she ever did in her life. Her lips hold a coquettish smile, but she was crying her eyes out on the inside. Just as with her virginity, she wanted to give such dance to someone special. She kept repeating in her head that it was all worth it. Worthy of fifty years of youth, fifty years beside Sesshomaru, even if as the other's woman face.

Her dance was rewarded by the order to get upstairs, barked by Kishimaru. Kagura batted her eyelashes, hiding behind the fan to conceal her urge to gag, but mounted the stairs with no protest. That was a wise decision since Kishimaru's eyes were full of unsatisfied lust and rage that were ready to burst any moment.

And they did right after the doors to a separate room shut down. The next two days were the darkest nightmare Kagura could imagine. Kishimaru took her again and again ordering her to be his slave, because all women existed solely for that purpose. Kagura had to silently endure his curses towards his fiancée who rejected him in favor of a younger and richer Lord and how he wanted to kill them both, take the Lord's lands and become the worshipped ruler he deserved to be.

With endless beatings and rapings Kagura marveled at how she hadn't lost her sanity. Kishimaru definitely did lose it at some point of his revenge escapade and not because of the youkai possessing him. His rage towards the woman and her chosen one, who betrayed him, grew into hate towards the whole humanity who had to pay for his mistreatment.

Kagura was kept locked in the room, not even allowed to eat. The brothel's personnel didn't bother to confront the uncontrollable client since Kagura wasn't one of them, so it was her personal problem. And indeed it was, the problem she had only three more days to solve.

On the third day she was 'blessed' with demand to cry out Kishimaru's name. As loud as possible, for the perverted priest in the next room to hear how he could please a woman. Later that day, pretending to be knocked unconscious, which wasn't far from the truth, Kagura waited for Kishimaru to fall asleep. She rose on unsteady legs, grabbed the first sharp object – a broken bottle that was recently used on her – that was in sight and headed towards the right wall which was the only possibility to have a room behind it. She unceremoniously cut the rice paper with the bottle, moving practically on auto-pilot, her only aim – to find the priest and end the nightmare she dragged herself into.

The neighboring room's only occupant was a young man in a priest's outfit, who was muttering something without even pause for breath, obviously in deep trance. Kagura didn't think about her soul's internal sufferings in Hell for hurting or even killing a priest, nor did she think about the reasons such a person agreed to help a human in his revenge. She just raised the bottle and crushed it onto the priest's shoulder, eliciting a scream, with which the room became considerably darker – the barrier has fallen.

By the time Sesshomaru arrived with Inuyasha and Kagome in tow, Kagura was being punished by Kishimaru who was awoken by the priest's cry. She didn't fight back, just hoped to remain alive, which was harder and harder with every heavy punch from the man pinning her to the floor. Suddenly the pressure was lifted from her and Kishimaru was smashed into the wall, that didn't do him any harm of course.

"What an honor, Lord of the Western Lands came in person to stand before me," Kishimaru said with a mocking bow, but the voice definitely belonged to the possessing youkai. "Never would've thought you'd come into the red district. Fell so low, Sesshomaru?"

"It is you, who remained on the same level," Sesshomaru replied impassively. The green whip flashed in the air and Kishimaru's body fell to the floor cut in half. A transparent spirit of a silver-head youkai leaped towards Sesshomaru in the last hope to get his revenge, but Sesshomaru cut him in half with Tesseiga and it dissolved into the air.

"You had no right to kill that human, Sesshomaru," Kagome scolded the taiyoukai.

"That human had no right to live," he spat, gold turning red for just a millisecond. Sesshomaru neared Kagura's figure sprawled on the floor, her white skin purple with bruisers and dry blood, took her into his arms and left the room.

"Care to tell me, Kagome, what has just happened?" Inuyasha asked, flabbergasted by the happenings in front of his very eyes. The way Sesshomaru touched Kagura was beyond caring, it could be even called tender.

"I really don't know. I just know that something is going on and we shouldn't interfere. It will work out this way or the other. Wasn't Kagura muttering something?"

"Something about 'take the fans'?"

Kagome looked around in search for the unusual items and found them discarded in one of the corners. The moment she touched one of them a shock of recognition made her lose her hold of the fan. The texture of the material was painfully familiar, her hands went through it every single day.

"Inuyasha, are those what I think they are?"

"Bloody Hell, no wonder he rests so much."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's get out of here first."

Inuyasha remained silent the whole process of Kagome's negotiating with the head of the establishment about the conditions to remove the corpse and pay for the damaged wall. Kagome was not surprised by such disposition, he always let her deal with everything related to human interaction. However this time he looked particularly thoughtful.

"So those fans are made from Sesshomaru's hair, correct?" Kagome dared to ask once they left the vicinity of the town.

"And blood," Inuyasha grunted.

"Care to explain what were you saying about Sesshomaru resting?"

"I don't know if I should."

"What do you mean?"

Inuyasha took a deep breath then released it, as if coming to a very important decision. "It is the greatest secret of inuyoukai."

"Something even I, your mate, don't know?"

"Yeah."

"And you are not going to tell me?"

"What do you want, Kagome? It isn't the deepest secret for nothing!"

"If you don't tell me you'll be sleeping in the west wing for a year."

"But it is opposite from our bedroom!"

"Exactly, so spill."

Another deep inhaling from Inuyasha. "Our hair is our power. If it is cut off, part of inu strength goes with it."

"Like with Solomon?"

"Who?"

"No matter. What you want to say, is that Sesshomaru deliberately reduced his power to make fans for Kagura?"

"Exactly! And we both know how power crazy is Sesshomaru! Getting ultimate power is the goal of his existence! Power is all he cares about!"

"Well, it seems that now Sesshomaru found something, or I better say, _someone_ else to care about."

…..

Kagura woke up with a start, feeling someone's hand on her shoulder. By instinct she dashed backwards to somehow minimize the pain of yet another hit she had been dealt to during the last two days. There was no need to be alert however, since her surroundings were different from the brothel – Kagura was back to Sesshomaru's palace, in the room she was given when they arrived three days prior.

"It's over," came Sesshomaru's calm voice from somewhere above.

Kagura turned her head to the right (any other movement resulted in pain) to see him sitting cross legged by the futon she occupied. The room was covered in semi-darkness, indicating the late hour, so his white figure stood out even more. It seemed for Kagura that they were the only existing creatures in the whole world covered in darkness.

"Did you kill the bastard?" she asked weakly.

"Yes."

"Good," she said with another tired sigh. Kagura was about to close her eyes to go into obliviating sleep, when her shoulder was touched once again.

"If you fall asleep, you die. You must receive your reward first."

"What could you mean-" Kagura's words died in her throat when Sesshomaru's forearm stretched in front of her with a cut that let a thin rivulet of blood stream onto her already blood stained clothes.

"Drink."

"But I can't possibly-" Kagura began to protest, but her eyes remained fixed on the racing crimson liquid. There was something enchanting about it, something sinfully pleasurable.

"My blood will heal your wounds and prevent you from ageing as was agreed between us."

"Okay." Kagura concentrated her glance on the wound, unsure how to proceed. Sucking other's being blood surely wasn't a common practice. Sesshomaru solved her problem, by bringing his arm right in from of her lips. Cautiously she licked on the blood, but then couldn't stop. The blood tasted like some warm candy enriched by the feeling of immense power feeling her every cell. A few minutes later Sesshomaru took his arm away, and Kagura involuntarily moved forward unable to let go.

"That surely can get addictive," she remarked in a much steadier voice.

"It is. Youkai blood is a valuable trade item, if it is obtained and stored properly. Haven't you heard about it from the slayers?"

"Just bits and pieces, I don't really listen to their bragging," Kagura said, stretching on the futon and finally settling in a comfortable position. Yes, healing power was indeed inside her, but her body cried for relaxation. "Why don't you tell me?"

"Youkai healing powers as well as strong immunity is caused mostly by their blood, but it works only inside youkai's body. If youkai blood is taken from a dead body, it is totally worthless. But even if it is extracted from an alive youkai, which demands a slayer of high skill, the blood clots and doesn't work. With time different sorcerers discovered herbs that prevent blood from drying slightly reducing its powers. Liquid youkai blood is more valuable than gold, but you never know if it is real until you use it."

"Haven't anyone thought of capturing one alive and draining him continuously?"

"That works for some time, but youkai die quickly in captivity, we are beasts by nature, we can't be kept on a leach."

The silence stretched while Kagura was thinking over the newly received information. Just now she has been given something very precious to its owner, and valuable to everybody else. Was it because she was somehow special or just because of the business agreement?

"Hey, Sesshomaru, do I qualify now? To be someone you trust? Those two days did feel like descending to Hell for me."

"Why do you want a youkai's trust?"

"Why do you always twist my words? That wasn't what I was asking about."

"Why do you need this Sesshomaru's trust?"

Kagura turned over to lie on her back and stared at the ceiling in attempt to find the answer there. There was none of course. "Hell if I know. I managed to straighten my life in the recent years. I do my share of chores in the house, I do everything to bring up Rin properly – play with her and teach her stuff, I help Hitomi with her son, I've friends among women in the village. It's mostly routine, but I find something interesting in everything I do, so my life is pretty good right now. But then the air shifts and you appear on the doorstep, and I don't know what to do with myself. Why do you think is that?"

"This Sesshomaru won't visit anymore then."

"No!" Kagura cried out, bolting up and instantly regretting it – her body was still weak from bygone abuse. The pain was strong enough for her not to notice that the great taiyoukai made a concession just for her not to be distressed.

"You need to rest. But before that a bath is in order to clean this stench," Sesshomaru said, his nostrils flaring in disgust.

"I wonder, if I manage to clean myself completely one day. Those rapists must've cursed me; whenever I get close to a man, he rapes me." Kagura slowly sat up and tried to stand up, but fell back onto the futon. "Dammit, life sucks."

"Just a moment ago, you were saying your life turned out to be quite good," Sesshomaru noted, taking Kagura into his arms with no visible effort.

"But such experiences can spoil everything you've been building up for years."

"Now you have additional fifty years to build anything you want."

"Yeah."

While Kagura was cared through the house towards the hot springs she thought that such way of moving around was quite addictive too.

…

"How is Kagura?" Kagome asked the next morning during breakfast, noticing that there were only three of them at the table. Rin was mysteriously absent too.

"She is resting," Sesshomaru replied in a tone that indicated no wish for further discussion.

"We brought the fans she asked for. You should've taken them with you, you obviously can't afford another pair," Inuyasha remarked with a knowing smirk. "The maker must've had a field day – hair of an _alive_ inuyoukai! What fool could possible give his hair away? Did you kill the maker so he wouldn't tell other youkai about you becoming much less powerful? So weak actually that you can't enter a purifying barrier set by a single monk?" Inuyasha continued with his taunting. Even if the fans' maker didn't have a field day, he definitely did.

To Sesshomaru's credit, he didn't lose his composure (as if he ever did). "If you think that you can kill me in my current state, you are sadly mistaken, Inuyasha."

"Keh." Inuyasha would've said a lot of other words about him being ready to take on Sesshomaru any day, but the door slid open and Kagura stepped in with Rin by her side.

"We are ready to go," she announced.

"Impossible," Kagome gasped, looking Kagura over. The woman looked completely recovered, which was not possible with ordinary healing means used. As far as Kagome knew Kagura had received no medical treatment at all. Sesshomaru simply prohibited Kagome to step into Kagura's bedroom.

"Will Rin fly with Sesshomaru-sama? You promised!" Rin exclaimed, grabbing onto Sesshomaru's long sleeve and pulling towards the door.

"Will you come visit, Kagome, Inuyasha?" Kagura asked, taking the fans from the table, closing and tacking them into her sleeves.

"We were just thinking the same thing," Kagome replied sweetly, elbowing her mate who was about to protest.

"What was that about?" Inuyasha grunted on their way to Inuyasha's village, hopping from one tree to another. "Why should we go to Naruki's?"

"Don't you want to know what is going between Kagura and Sesshomaru? We will come exactly when he is there and see everything with our own eyes!" Kagome explained full of enthusiasm.

Inuyasha only kehed in response. In his personal opinion Kagome was talking nonsense. What could possibly be between a human woman and a taiyoukai who doesn't feel anything, especially towards humans?


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Time moved on, with it lives of members of Sesshomaru's pack who felt slightly neglected since his visits became more apart than usual. The reason was that his visits to Naruki and Hitomi's household grew from two to six times a year in following eight years. The fact was obviously noticed by the people, who started to make certain assumptions and spread rumors.

Since Hitomi was a hanoyu, it took her much less than eight years to suspect something was going on, but hearing awful gossip slandering Kagura's name gave her courage to confront Sesshomaru on one of his visits.

"Sesshomaru-sama, I would like to talk to you."

"Something the matter?" Sesshomaru asked absent-mindedly.

Hitomi's eyebrows rose at such dismissive attitude, but she continued nevertheless, "It is better for Kagura and Rin to move out."

"Do you consider them a nuisance?"

Hitomi gasped, taken aback by the amount of anger in such a short sentence. "No, of course not, my Lord. But it would be better for them to live somewhere more secluded… So you and Kagura-chan could meet with more privacy?.." Hitomi squeezed out, thinking that her idea was definitely a bad one, seeing the deepening frown on Sesshomaru's forehead.

"What can you possibly be implying, woman?" the taiyoukai growled through clenched teeth.

"Rin will be soon of age to be courted. Kagura's reputation of being single and frequently visited by an unmated youkai will scare off any potential suitors. Decent ones for sure."

Sesshomaru turned on his heels and stormed out of the house, leaving gaping Hitomi behind. "What was that about? What was he so angry about? Will he consider following my advice?"

Suddenly Kagura appeared from behind the corner. "Hey, Hitomi, wasn't Sesshomaru here?"

"He left."

Kagura's face fell. "I am going to the market, do you need anything?"

"No, thanks."

"Okay," Kagura mumbled and dragged herself out to the busy streets of the village to be followed by the accusative glares and gossiping whispers.

That night thoughts swirling in her head didn't let Kagura fall asleep. She couldn't understand why Sesshomaru had left without even seeing her, and Rin of course. At times he even stayed for a whole week. Kagura was especially fond of listening to his conversations with Rin. Kagura was awed every time at Rin's intelligence. The talks touched such topics as power, righteousness, governing styles and, of course, relationships between men and women. Kagura mostly kept to herself and only listened to their discussions, every time discovering something new about Sesshomaru. He indeed had a lot of knowledge to give having such a long life. At times she wondered if the first Rin had the same conversations with her guardian and then passed the received knowledge to her children.

The moon was full and shone invitingly into her window. She looked out at the peaceful picture of the pond to find it not as peaceful as every other night. Kagura grabbed the closest yukata and jumped out of the window. Fastening the belt on the way, she ran towards the pond and the lonely figure in white on its bank.

"Why did you leave without saying a word?" she demanded in a hushed whisper.

"This Sesshomaru had to think about something important," Sesshomaru answered, staring into the pond.

"And what could that be?"

"Didn't you hear? You were standing right behind the corner."

Kagura blushed in embarrassment. She wasn't planning to eavesdrop. She just felt Sesshomaru's presence in the house and headed to meet him. "Something about me being single influencing Rin badly, at least in the minds of others? Rin is the sweetest girl and it is not like I admit men in my chambers. Who in their right mind will think that she isn't pure or indecent or even anything close?"

"I will be not visiting till Rin is married."

"But why? You mean so much to her, you are like her father! She needs your guidance. We can move somewhere so you will be able to visit her. There nothing impossible about it," Kagura insured heatedly.

"Kagura, the problem is not about Rin."

"If you are referring to my screwed reputation, then I don't bloody care. Those gossiping hags are just jealous."

"Of what?"

"I am young, beautiful, free and have a wonderful daughter without stressing over pregnancy. Of course, they are jealous."

"You gave up on the wish to have your own children?"

"Well, no… But I am planning to wait until Rin is married. Maybe we can be pregnant at the same time. That can be interesting, don't you think?"

"It's your choice."

"It is quite disconcerting to speak to someone looking at his hair. Especially to discover in the process that your hair-band had been completely worn out. Don't you like this face anymore?"

"Your habits of dressing haven't improved much from the day I resurrected you."

Kagura looked down to inspect her outfit. She was completely covered, except for her legs, because the yukata reached only to her knees. "Well excuse me," she mocked, "I couldn't put a proper kimono in the middle of the night. I am not even talking about makeup."

"I wonder what your future husband will say about such attitude towards your appearance."

"Well, I doubt he will drag me outside at night," she snapped, but then rounded him to face him since he was stubbornly reluctant to do it. "Have you just made a joke?" she asked with an unbelieving frown.

"How could you possibly come to that conclusion?" Sesshomaru asked impassively, but the corner of his lips twitched in attempt to hide a smirk.

"You bastard!" Kagura hissed, pushing him in the chest, which obviously had no effect even if she put quite an effort into it. Sesshomaru lightly pushed Kagura in return, and she found herself in the pond wet from head to toe. "You… you… you perv! _Now_ you are looking at me! Turn around this instant!"

Sesshomaru did turn around, since it was the only way for Kagura not to catch him smiling.

…

A crush echoed through the house and Kagura sighed once again. She abandoned her unfinished laundry and headed towards the kitchen where Rin was helping that day.

"Another plate, Rin?" she asked, looking down at the young woman on her knees with yet another broken piece of cutlery at her feet.

"Gomen na sai (sorry), Oka-san (mother), I'll clear everything up right away," Rin muttered helplessly.

"Daydreaming again? About the person we encountered during the last fair?"

Rin's cute face turned into a tomato. "Of course, I wasn't!"

"What was his name? Yuki? Yoko?"

"Yukito."

"But of course, Yukito, how could I forget," Kagura teased further. "This young, handsome, dashing boy who walked us all around his home town, showing the best sights, but I doubt you saw anything, your shining eyes didn't leave him for a second."

"Oka-san! This is too harsh!" Rin weaned, hiding her face that got even redder.

"So first love, eh?"

"Is it? Was it like that when you first fell in love, Oka-san?"

"Oh well… I am not exactly an expert on love," Kagura replied slightly bitter. "Start getting ready, we seemed to miss some sights in that town. Prepare your best kimono!"

"Hai!"

"Where is that bastard Sesshomaru when you need him?" Kagura mused, watching the overenthusiastic Rin getting through her wardrobe.

Sesshomaru kept to his word. He didn't appear near Naruki's household since the day he and Kagura talked last. It has been two years since then. Rin indeed missed him at first, but she was rapidly growing up, turning into a beautiful young woman who was showered with attention from the men around her. Kagura, on the other hand, felt unexplainably lost. Her only relief - making a new hand-band, this time with an elaborate decoration of crystals she purchased in one of the mountain villages.

…

He is here.

That was Kagura's first thought when she left the inn they were staying in. She and Rin had been 'sightsing' with Yukito as guide the whole day, so by the evening both women were exhausted. Kagura decided to clear her head in the evening air, but all her plans were wiped clean when the air shifted in the way that was almost forgotten. Her feet took her to a small meadow in the nearby forest, hidden from villages' eyes, but still close enough not to leave the village.

"Yo, Sesshomaru," Kagura greeted the taiyoukai, who settled under an enormous tree, which made him completely invisible from the sky. Kagura wondered what the precausions were about. "Surprised seeing you here."

"You could've remained in your room instead of coming all the way here."

"Our paths cross the first time in two years," Kagura stated, leaving the interpretation to Sesshomaru. It was for him to decide her reasoning of coming uninvited – if it was personal or it was just a regular check-up on Rin's affairs.

"How is Rin?"

So he chose the second option. "Fairly well. Got her first suitor, that's why we are here actually. Even if they both completely deny the attraction. Do you want me to continue or are you having a nap?" Kagura asked with slight irritation, seeing Sesshomaru accomodating a relaxed posture, his eyelids closed. She was no servant, she had the right to demand attention on elementary level of eye contact.

"Go on."

Kagura stomped towards the tree and sat down onto the grass right beside him. No reaction from Sesshomaru. "No wonder, you don't have a mate. You don't know how to treat women right."

"Do you really want me to respond to that?"

"Please, enlighten me, what is it on your mind," she mocked, every syllable full of sarcasm.

"No wonder nobody wants to take you as his wife, you have no sense of obedince and modesty. If you don't teach Rin these values either, she will no longer be with you."

Kagura didn't know whereever to be hurt or to be threatened. She felt both, so raising her arm for a slap was an atomatic and obviously thoughtless response, which was effortlessly stopped by Sesshomaru who grabbed her wrist, his claws piercing the pale skin.

"Is this enough to prove my point?" he drawled indifferently, but looking her fully in the eyes this time.

"You will prove mine if you break my arm right now."

"You attacked me," Sesshomaru defended his choice of action, releasing the arm.

"I am not someone to just bow and do your bidding, as you very well know," Kagura mumbled, watching as the cuts slowly closed themselves. Youkai blood did have its advantages. "It is pointless to threaten to take Rin away from me. Even if you follow through with it, you will have to kill me for us to separate. You once asked what my destiny was; my destiny is to bring Rin up, to be beside her till my last heart beat. My life belongs to her, don't you remember?"

"This still doesn't give you a free rein to do whatever you want."

"Well, you have no right to set rules either, Sesshomaru. She has a living father. Not to mention, you haven't seen the girl in two years, and she is in the most sensitive age," Kagura said, proud of her quick thinking to find the loop hole in Sesshomaru's statements.

"I will see her tomorrow. And assess the suitor you told me nothing about, because it was more important for you to argue about worthless things."

"Have anybody told you that you are a pompous ass?"

"Ask my step-brother for reference. I am sure he will be able to provide it. Now go back, it will be dark soon."

"The Hell?" Kagura asked under her breath, seeing that Sesshomaru closed his eyes once again. She brought her face closer to his to berate him for ignoring her. But what she saw made her change her mind. The moonlight usually accented Sesshomaru's pale skin, but now it was unhealthy grey. "Must be tired to fall asleep like that," she said to herself in a low whisper. "Ten years and the hair hasn't grown back yet. The absence of power didn't diminish your pride in the least. Still treat everybody as they are beneath you. Ah!" she cried out, as another set of cuts was added to her wounded forearm.

"Did miko tell you about the hair?" Sesshomaru growled, his fangs lengthening.

"I am no fool, I put it together myself," she spat, trying to overcome the pain. A bit more and the arm will be surely broken. Fortunately that didn't happen since Sesshomaru pushed her away to have enough room to stand up. "You must've crashed the bone! If your blood doesn't heal this, then you'll pay for this! It hurts, dammit!" Kagura weaned, rubbing the bloody forearm while rolling in the high grass. It was surely an undignified behavior for a lady, but the pain was beyond caring for such trivial things.

"It will heal by tomorrow."

"So I must be in agony the whole night? And I plodded away at the new hair band for you! Why did you even grab me again?"

"This fact is not to be known to anyone. I have the right to kill to keep you silent."

"The greatest Sesshomaru can't have weaknesses and blah, blah, blah. Braid it then, Yasha finds it quite effective. That I also deducted myself if you are wondering," Kagura said, sitting up since the pain was not that intense already.

"Why does Yasha wish to hide his hair?"

"His braid is almost as long as Inuyasha's hair. So the free hair must be longer than his father's. I doubt Inuyasha will be thrilled to know his son has surpassed him already."

"The strength isn't measured only by length."

"And what are other characteristics? Shining to blindness?" Kagura grunted, standing up. Her legs were unsteady, but she didn't embarrass herself by falling over.

"Why don't you find for yourself? If you are so good at deducting," Sesshomaru suggested, taking place in the middle of the meadow, thus presenting the silver waterfall bathed in the moonlight for Kagura's inspection.

Out of cheer curiosity, Kagura neared the taiyoukai and placed her delicate hand on the mass of hair that shone with hundred shades of white and silver. The hand instantly disappeared in the tresses, but she couldn't feel the neck. She tried to move the hand lower, but the movement demanded surprisingly much effort. "So thick and heavy," she murmured, impressed by the texture. No wonder the fans were heavy. The whole mane must've weighted a ton; how was it possible to carry something like that on one's head? A true power indeed.

"Will you manage to braid it?"

"Okay," Kagura agreed, kneeling behind him.

"But your arm is hurt."

"Just sit still for now." Kagura shushed already busy with straightening the thick tresses.

"How did you manage to measure Yasha's hair so accurately?" Sesshomaru asked after a long silence.

"He and Ryou stayed at Naruki's during their human night several months ago. Heard them brag about you finally agreeing to give them your fangs when Yasha is mated. How do youkai mate? Besides… doing _it_? They don't have ceremonies, right?"

"The male leaves a special mark on female's body in a form of a scar. That scar never heals because it is a wanted wound."

"Come to think of it, I've seen an odd scar on Hitomi. At times I completely forget that she is a hanoyu, she never uses super strength or speed. An ordinary human with unordinary appearance. I wanted to ask you something actually." Kagura took a short break – moving such heavy hair was indeed quite tiring. "Will Rin have the same problem with giving birth as her mother did?"

"It is possible. Every case is unique."

"But she doesn't have a youkai side like Hitomi to help her, so Rin or her baby will be killed to save either of them?"

"It is possible."

"But that's not right!" Kagura exclaimed, pulling on the hair in anger. "That's not fair!"

"Some species just shouldn't be mixed with humans. But it is not yet known which ones. Actually there are species that can't be mixed together too."

"Like what?"

"Inuyasha will soon find himself in quite a mess, if he doesn't look after his younger son more closely."

"What do you mean?"

"It is not unusual for Yasha and Ryou to be absent from home for a long periods of time. The slayers may travel for years before returning home if they have one. They are covered in all possible youkai scents, so it's hard to determine anything out of ordinary. And Ryou has developed an abnormal interest in the Northern border lately. In the mountains of the Northern lands live a wolf youkai pack. One of the alpha-males of that tribe is Kouga, who has three daughters."

"Don't tell me! Ryou fell for the youngest?"

"Kouga's daughters are pure youkai; the eldest, Kaoru (smell sweet), is slightly younger than Ryou according to youkai aging. The youkai packs have fixed hierarchy, so the daughters could be promised already to other alpha-males. The dispute for a female is resolved in only one way."

"They will fight?"

"Ryou is only quarter youkai and hot-headed as my idiot of a step-brother. He will fight and he will die."

"Even with your fang?"

"It takes time to fully master a new and moreover powerful weapon. But even if by some miracle Ryou defeats his opponent, Kouga will never agree to give his daughter to Inuyasha's son."

"Why? Not to spoil youkai blood with human's?"

"Kouga and Inuyasha fought over the miko."

"Fought over Kagome?"

"That was a long time ago. I doubt they've talked since Inuyasha mated her."

"That's really a mess. But how do you know this even if Inuyasha doesn't? You didn't walk on the poor kids, did you?"

"Our paths crossed."

"Still, what are you planning to do? If we don't tell, a lot of people can get hurt."

"This is a natural course of youkai life. It is forbidden to intervene."

"This is ridiculous," Kagura uttered, unwrapping the band from her belt where she always kept it in case of coming across Sesshomaru. "There, all done. Looks good if I say so myself," she complemented her work, standing up and brushing grass from her kimono. "So many lives wasted because of the law of survival. It is just as Kagome says, 'Everyone has the right to have a family.' If Ryou likes this Kaoru girl, then so be it."

"Youkai survived because they follow their laws."

"Surviving isn't living."

"There is a particular law of inuyoukai you'll never be told, Kagura. Inuyoukai allows handle his hair only to two females – his mother and his mate, because they are the only women he can trust not to chop it off."


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Kagura was extremely curious at the method Sesshomaru would use to 'asses' Yukito. As far as she knew, the boy was partly youkai in third or fourth generation, the same as Rin. The inheritance showed in his ability to jump high and far. He was also an orphan and lived and helped out in the shrine. The shrine was located high in the mountains so villagers tolerated his presence. Yukito's parents weren't exactly welcomed in the village, seen as dangerous and violent, even if they were a very quiet couple. They died in an accident which could in reality be something different. Yukito had a strong constitution, so he survived in the mountain forests and then the priest in the shrine took him in since he was old and needed help with physical labor.

And that was basically all that Yukito told about himself. Kagura attempted to guess what Sesshomaru would do, maybe use some youkai method based on senses. However, after enthusiastic greeting from Rin, he suggested for them to accompany him on his trip, and to bring Rin's new friend with them. At first, Kagura was appalled by the idea – two women camping in the forest for who knows how long and with men no less – but then she saw through Sesshomaru's plan of isolation and openness at the same time, so Kagura agreed.

And so four of them, with Sesshomaru in the lead, Kagura and Rin in a closed-up wagon with two horses, started on the road around the Western Lands. During the walks between visits to the households of Rin's descendants, all kinds of conversations occurred mostly between Rin and Yukito who talked about all things under the Sun. Kagura watched the youngsters for any inappropriate behavior, but the major portion of her attention was consumed watching Sesshomaru. He rarely participated in discussions, so Kagura couldn't understand how he could form any opinion on Yukito without even talking to the boy. Some youkai method must've definitely been at work. While Kagura was contemplating taiyoukai's behavior she didn't know that she was the topic of the conversation held at the other part of the meadow where the group settled for a camp that day.

"You know, Rin-chan, I wanted to ask you something for quite some time."

"What is it, Yukito-kun?" Rin replied with a faint blush. Was it what she was thinking it was?

"Are Sesshomaru-sama and Kagura-san close?"

"Ha?"

"They don't act like a couple, but there is just something that indicates that they are certainly more than acquaintances."

"Something like what?" Rin asked totally flabbergasted but such development.

"I don't know. Soundless communication, exchange of glances. I admit I don't know much about such things, but something is surely in the air. I saw Kagura-san doing his hair the other day. That's an intimate gesture, however you look at it."

Rin glanced at her older companions. Sesshomaru was lounging against a tree and Kagura was steering something in a pot. There wasn't any tension that prompted them to ignore each other - they seemed to be at peace. "It seems rather unbelievable."

"Yours and mine existence is proof that youkai and human can coexist with each other."

"I doubt Sesshomaru-sama will allow himself to be in such a relationship with a human."

"But isn't going only halfway even more torturous?"

"This is not something I even want to think about, Yukito-kun. Because if you are right, something awful will happen."

Two days later they reached a rather large town where Tanaki's younger sister resided, married to a textile merchant.

"I was wondering," Kagura began in a low voice, after confirming that Rin and Yukito were far enough not to hear them, "did all the men went through your trial to marry girls of your pack?"

"No, I have no say in the choice of the life companion."

"Then what are you doing now is… what?"

"The boy picked my interest."

"Speaking in riddles again, Sesshomaru?"

"He has nothing to his name, not even a house of his own, but he is not angry at the world for not taking him in. He is a survivor, those are rare these days."

"You mean to say, Yukito resembles you? But you are not angry only because you've completely detached yourself from the world." Kagura wanted to add some more insight on Sesshomaru's personality, but her attention caught a stand with combs displayed on it. Her hair had grown below her waist already and it was a constant bother. She fought with it by fixing the long tresses with ribbons, but they were wearing out too quickly for her liking. If only she had something more solid… Before she could say anything, they were lost in the crowd which was unavoidable on a market day.

They were welcomed in Sayuki and her husband's house with bowing from both parties, except for Sesshomaru of course. They were visiting the fifth household so far, and Kagura noted the same tendency in all of them. Sesshomaru was treated with utmost respect, Rin was a relative, Yukito was seen as Rin's suitor with women's giggles covered with their hands, even if the youngsters didn't act like that, and Kagura… She was like a stray dog, nobody knew how to deal with her. And that attitude began to get on Kagura's nerves. But when it came down to it, she couldn't determine her role in the group either. Rin was old enough not to have a guardian anymore, but diminishing from a mother figure to a mere friend was more than disconcerting.

Kagura was quite depressed the whole day, so when she and Rin went to bath, as they did on every opportunity, she didn't hear Rin asking a question that would sore her mood even more.

"Ha?" Kagura uttered, taken back from her land of thoughts by Rin's probing finger.

"I said, I wanted to ask you something, Oka-san."

"Ask away," Kagura responded half-heartedly. Answering questions was the last thing she wanted to do, but she couldn't say no to kawaii Rin.

"What do you feel towards Sesshomaru-sama?"

"What?" Kagura screeched, sinking deeper into the bath, as if that could cover her true feelings.

"It is just you both seem so detached. When we walk or camp, you two always are far from each other, but not on the opposite ends, as if you are keeping certain distance between each other. At the same time, there is no animosity between you."

"We just ignore each other, that's all," Kagura responded with scorn.

"But you do Sesshomaru-sama's hair. When I was little, he let me play with his hair, but when I got ten, forbade it."

"I am sure that if you ask now, he will allow you. He trusts you after all."

"Does that mean he trusts you too?"

"Well, it doesn't mean we can't ignore each other," Kagura grumbled. Sesshomaru's trust was meaningless. Even if she had it, she wasn't treated anyhow special. "Why all these questions all of the sudden?"

"Well, I kinda thought that," Rin started hesitantly, drawing figures on the water, "that you could help me to understand what I feel for Yukito. Compare, you know."

"There is nothing to compare, Rin. Sesshomaru and I… don't have anything, moreover any mutual feelings of that sort," Kagura stated with affected confidence; her words sounded empty, there were no resolution behind them.

"But you must feel something! You are still a man and a woman after all!"

"I'll tell you this then, Rin. If you ever meet a man like Sesshomaru, run! Run for your life, because such a man will never make a woman happy."

"Why don't you run then, Oka-san?"

That simple question of an inexperienced girl kept bothering Kagura till she reached her bedroom. When she entered a whole lot of other unsolved mysteries hit her. On the futon lay three ivory combs, two small and one large, elaborately decorated with crystals, or were they gemstones?

'_How could he possibly notice my attention towards that particular stand? And in a crowd no less? Was he listening to me so intently that he turned his head to check why I stopped talking? Is this the reason why I stay by his side or rather am kept there?_' Kagura asked herself with a small smile, examining the combs. Beautiful indeed, they will complement her ebony hair perfectly. "Should I ask him to do my hair and put these there? As a sign of my trust?" she said, chuckling under her breath.

"So you trust a youkai now?" came a male voice that made Kagura drop the comb out of surprise.

"You startled me," she muttered in response. "No man can enter a woman's bedroom at night, if he is not her husband. Doesn't this rule apply to you too? Or don't you even consider me a woman?" Kagura shot offended by Sesshomaru's doing as he pleased once again. The next moment however Kagura's eyes widened in quite a comical way when she witnessed Sesshomaru backing out of the room and remaining on the doorstep.

"You haven't answered."

Kagura blinked several times to regain any trace of coherent thought. "What was it you said?"

"Do you trust a youkai now? Or maybe I should rephrase. Do you trust this Sesshomaru now?"

"Well, I will be quite alright if you chop my hair off," Kagura drawled, her eyes looking anywhere but at the youkai in question. She started trusting him a long time ago, it came kinda naturally with everything they've been through. But admitting it to him, seemed like crashing a barrier of some sort. A wall between them.

"Your hair is in its right place. Shortening it will make the combs useless."

"Yeah, thank you for these. But you shouldn't have bothered. I was planning to go there tomorrow morning."

"It was not a bother. You still haven't said if you trust me, Kagura."

"What will it change?" she suddenly blew up, frustrated by the pointless pressure on Sesshomaru's part. "Will you boss me around less if I say that I trust you? Or treat me like an equal? I highly doubt that!"

"You can never be equal to this Sesshomaru."

"Of course, I can't. I am just a human woman, but my lack of physical strength doesn't make me worthless. I have my strengths and if I hadn't, you would've never placed Rin under my care. This much is obvious."

"Indeed."

Kagura's eyes almost popped out once more. Was the great taiyoukai conceding? "Trust doesn't mean respect. So even if I admit to trusting you not kill me in my sleep, it doesn't mean I respect your way of life or your decisions," Kagura proclaimed with a huff. For some reason she wanted to nettle him in any way possible. Her feelings were hurt and she was out for blood.

"This Sesshomaru lost respect even for his father."

"When he fell in love with Inuyasha's mother? Well, I am not even planning to gain your respect, what for? Not to mention I don't have an eternity, and even if I had had one, I wouldn't have wasted it on you," Kagura tormented her offender. Her spirits lifted considerably, so she was on a row and could've said a lot more, if her throat wasn't suddenly squeezed by Sesshomaru who also pinned her down. "What now?" she whizzed, not even attempting to struggle against his hold. She felt no fear, even looking into his screwed eyes that were shining with rage. "Gonna rape me as all other men I encountered? I actually trust you enough not to succumb to that level."

The pressure on Kagura's neck was lifted, but the infuriated gaze was still piercing her. Surprisingly she found it quite attractive, comparing to his usual endlessly empty golden pools.

"You are the most insolent woman I've ever met in my whole existence," Sesshomaru rasped out, breathing heavily. Yes, he looked angry, but Kagura wasn't sure if it was with her or with himself. "I would've killed you long ago without regret, if only your scent-"

"What about my scent? Does it resemble _hers_?" Kagura asked bitterly.

"It is impossible for two beings to have the same scent." Sesshomaru leaped back and was by the door in a moment.

"Now wait a moment, dammit! What about my scent?" Kagura demanded, jumping up to chase after him and receive her answer whatever the cost. Her oxygen deprived brain thought otherwise however, and she would've hit the floor the world swinging around her, but ended in Sesshomaru's arms, who was quick to come to her aid. "Tell me," Kagura uttered softly, childishly pulling onto his robes. "What is my scent like?"

Sesshomaru placed Kagura onto the futon and waited for her to fall asleep, but it was in vain. She was still pulling on his clothes, this time on his hakami.

"Your scent… is almost perfect. Even if everything you went through: the rapings, the beatings, the loneliness, the strife for bringing Rin up right, your scent doesn't have any stench of hate, disgust, despair or fear. Your strength to overcome hardships is admirable."

"Is this the reason, you despise me? That I am at peace with myself and you are not? Because you don't know anymore why you exist?" Kagura asked with a yawn.

"I don't despise you."

"So you admire me for my strength, but don't respect me?"

"I've never said I don't respect you."

That instantly lifted Kagura's sleepiness. "Have you just admitted your respect for me?" she asked, lifting herself on her elbow to see his face in the darkness. For some reason, she believed she knew Sesshomaru well enough to read his face when he was lying.

"Believe what you want, woman," he threw, heading towards the door.

"Does that mean, you will do my hair tomorrow?" Kagura asked impishly, bathing in the feeling of victory. His assault awhile earlier didn't hurt Kagura in the slightest. She even praised herself for making the great Sesshomaru lose control, even if just for a moment.

"Then I'll chop it off for sure."

Even after Sesshomaru departed, Kagura kept smiling at his little joke.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Even if Kagura had dared to ask Sesshomaru's assistance with her haircut, she wouldn't have got it since the group headed towards Inuyasha's village because the wolves were on the move. For speed advantage, Sesshomaru moved the four of them in his energy ball. The journey didn't take longer than an hour, during which Sesshomaru kept frowning. Kagura interpreted that as a sign of a very big mess ahead of them. She wasn't mistaken. They landed on a hill far from the crossroads, but it was easy to hear the yells, coming from two parties on the intersection. One consisted of ten dark-haired wolf youkai and the other – of two silver-haired hanoyus accompanied by the miko.

"What are you doing on my territory, you stinky wolf?"

"You are a half-breed, you can't _have_ a territory, dog-turd!"

"As if you have one! You are rotting in those mountains only because you have nowhere else to go!"

"Neither my territory nor my pack is none of your business, Inuyasha!" Kouga growled with bubbling anger.

"Neither is mine – yours! So what in the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"I came to return your property," Kouga snarled, giving a sign to someone in the back.

There was a small commotion among the wolves, but then the two of them brought a large bag that made Inuyasha and Yasha to revert their noses because of the stench coming from it. It was something not only disgusting but strong to the point of killing all sense of olfaction. The cover was pulled to reveal Ryou's lifeless body. The hair was red from blood, long unhealed gashes covered his arms and chest, the edges of which had already started to rot.

"You monster," came a whisper that made Kouga flinch. Only one person could make him doubt himself and that person was the only one who refused him. "How could you do this to my son?" Kagome's voice sent another powerful wave towards the wolf group. Yes, it was the voice of the great miko, but even without the holy power, the angered mother can defeat a legion of enemies who harmed her child. "Tell me of at least one rightful excuse to harm my son, otherwise I won't stop Inuyasha from tearing you limb by limb." A loud cracking of knuckles from Inuyasha confirmed that he had a lot of excuses to finish off Kouga and they all were rightful.

"Your brat dared to ask for my daughter."

"Your what?" Inuyasha exclaimed with pure surprise, momentary even forgetting about Ryou's grave condition and what led to it.

"My eldest daughter Kaoru, you deaf mutt! He came to me and asked for her to be his mate! Have you ever heard of such impudence? He is not even a hanoyu! How could that bastard even dare to think that I would give my daughter to someone of his status? He doesn't have a status at all!"

"None of these youkai is your son. Do you have one?" Yasha spoke for the first time. He seemed to be the only one capable of rational thinking at the moment.

"So that what is it about…" Inuyasha drawled with a smug grin, watching Kouga's face turning red from bursting anger. "You are just jealous that I have two sons and you have none."

"They could've been my sons, dammit!"

Slap! "Stop it this instant!" Kagome bellowed. "I can't believe, you still hang on this, Kouga. And shame on you, Inuyasha! Your son is dying, and all you can think of is bursting your ego!"

"He will pull through. He is my son after all." Inuyasha looked even smugger if it was possible.

The quarrel was momentarily stopped by a small tornado circling the wolves and dissolving to reveal a young wolf female with dark red hair. She frantically sniffed the air, completely ignoring the youkai on the crossroads. But then her glance stopped at the motionless figure on the ground and she snarled, her eyes turning red.

"Who did this to Ryou?" she hissed, her posture ready to jump and rip apart anyone who admits his fault.

"What are you doing here?" Kouga snapped at the newcomer.

"I followed the scent of Ryou's blood. I remembered it quite clearly since he was the one to save me from an ogre who wanted to make me his seventeenth wife. He is bad at close-range combat, but he still fought with the ogre to protect me, a complete stranger."

"Yes, he really sucks at it," Kouga agreed with distaste. "I and two of my pals helped him to realize it."

"How could you? Three on one? And you call it a fair fight?"

"Such brats must be shown their place, Kaoru! You don't deserve someone whose claws can't protect you! He is completely worthless!"

There was a loud growl from the side which made Kaoru turn to finally acknowledge the presence of none wolf origin. It didn't take her long to realize who was standing in front of her.

"Please, forgive my father for his harsh words," she apologized, falling down on one knee. "Ryou is the best archer in the area and he is very proud of his skill which he inherited from his mother. Without that skill I wouldn't have been alive today. My deepest apologizes, Kagome-sama, Inuyasha-sama."

"I am already starting to like this girl," Inuyasha said with a smile. "Despite her being the offspring of the stinky wolf over there. Don't you, anata?"

Kagome rolled her eyes as Inuyasha's usage of the endearment he never used in public, but this time it was just to infuriate Kouga even more. "You are Ayumi's daughter, right, Kaoru? And, please, stand up. There is no need for this."

"But your son was almost killed by our pack," Kaoru protested in disbelief. "Such act calls for blood vengeance."

"As much as I like to kick some wolfy ass…" Inuyasha began, cleaning up his claws. His threat was met with a choir of growls. "I see no need. It takes a lot more than three wolf youkai to do real damage to Ryou. We'll take him to the village and he will heal in no time. There is treatment there for everything."

"I will help!" Kaoru exclaimed and leaped towards Ryou.

"You will do no such thing, Kaoru!" Kouga barked.

Kaoru just snarled in return and proceeded with taking off the remains of Ryou's shirt. And then she started repeatedly licking the wounds. Not even five minutes passed, the gashes started to slowly close and healed completely in another five minutes.

"Fuck, what is this stench?" Ryou spat, gaining consciousness. "Kaoru?" he asked his tone switching to tender one in an instant. He looked around and his glance firstly stopped on Kouga, whose yellow eyes spoke of nothing but murder, so Ryou quickly moved his glance further to see his father, hands crossed over his chest, his eyes not even the least bit less murderous. "Shit, this wasn't supposed to turn out like that."

"What did I tell you about curse words, Ryou?" Kaoru scolded her chosen one.

"That you won't kiss the mouth that utters such foul words," Ryou recited, but then turned white and not from the blood loss.

"What did you just say?" Kouga bellowed his claws at the ready.

"Kaoru, be a good girl and wait here why I'll have a couple of words with my naughty son, okay?" Inuyasha asked in overly polite tone. Kaoru moved away from the young inuhanoyu and Inuyasha grabbed his son's hair to pull him into a nearby forest to have a little man-to-man talk.

"What the fuck were thinking getting near Kouga's daughter?" Inuyasha yelled when he thought they were deep enough for others not to hear them.

"Because I didn't know!" Ryou yelled back. "And even if I knew, do you want me to abandon a girl who is attacked by a monster?"

"So you decided to play hero? Ha?"

"As if she was the first one! I don't even remember how many youkai I personally killed in a situations like that. We usually return the victims to their families. That's it!"

"Then why didn't you this time and save us the trouble, Ryou?"

"Well, she was special, okay?"

"Have you thought even for a second that she was a full youkai and a wolf one to boot?"

"What difference does it make?"

Inuyasha took a deep breath. It seemed that it was impossible to reason with his stubborn son. "Because Kouga is bloody right. You are inferior to any male in their pack. You can't be a worthy mate for her."

"But I love her, pa!"

"Go tell this to Kouga!"

"I already did. And don't think that beating is going to stop me. If needed I am going to become stronger. I even ask Oji-san for help, but Kaoru will be my mate sooner or later," Ryou stated with unshakable resolve.

"What a mess," Inuyasha grunted. "The girl is kinda cute though. It is good she took more after her mother." With a sigh of defeat he motioned for Ryou to follow him back to the wolves' gathering. They had to secure Ryou's future mate by all means possible.

…..

"Enjoining yourself?" Kagura asked Sesshomaru softly. Since she was only a human she couldn't hear everything said between the wolves and the inus, but the general conflict was clear even without words. "And also teaching a lesson to someone without doing anything?"

"What are you talking about, Kagura?"

"Showing Yukito who a worthy mate is and what happens if he is not."

"Youkai laws don't concern Rin or her husband."

"But it is basically the same, right? Humans are just not so violent about the matter. You will kill however, won't you, Sesshomaru?" Kagura asked in a light tone, showing her acceptance with his youkai nature. "Not for others, only concerning Rin's choice. What about me? I don't have any parents either, but I belong to your pack somewhat. Should my husband be accepted by you too?"

"If you are indecisive about your choice yourself, then my acceptance won't help you."

"But what if you don't like him?"

"How does your husband concern this Sesshomaru?"

"Well, if he turns to be a violent one, he can hurt Rin, if we continue to live as two families."

"First of all, Rin will have her own husband to protect her and secondly, are you searching for an excuse not to marry all together, Kagura? Using this Sesshomaru to void anyone who asks for your hand won't help."

Kagura huffed, confirming his guess. Knowing that it won't take long for Rin to settle and thus her turn to get married was nearing too, Kagura wasn't exactly eager about the prospect. She was getting used to be on her own, even if Naruki did all the men jobs around the house. She and Rin travelled quite a lot lately, so Kagura got used to make decisions independently, and she was clearly rather reluctant to give away that freedom.

"It is always your own choice, Kagura."

Without as much as another word Sesshomaru headed downhill to the heated argument below. Others had no choice but to follow.

….

"I am telling you, mutt face, there is NO WAY I am going to agree to this union!"

"And what does your mate think about all this?"

"Which one?"

"And since when wolves are not monogamists?"

"Since we are extinct! I have three mates now."

"And none of them could give you a son! You need some fresh blood to survive!"

"And you think that some quarter youkai can strengthen the blood of my pack? Don't be ridiculous! Our numbers are dwindling because some youkai exterminators decided to pick us one by one!"

"Don't tell me Kouga 'all mighty' can't get rid of some exterminators to protect his territory! And don't tell me these are all the men of your pack! Did you leave your land unguarded?"

Kouga and Inuyasha could've been at each other throats for days if a figure hadn't stepped in between them. And surprisingly it wasn't Kagome, but Yasha.

"Stop it, To-san. This way you won't get anywhere. What youkai exterminators were you talking about?" The question was addressed to Kouga, who actually blinked from surprise at the daring interruption. Yasha's eyes were the same as his father's but the calmness inside them was totally unexpected. "It's definitely not our work, because we don't usually cross the border to the Northern Lands. They must be poachers. Do you know of any men in the human villages who became rich as of late?"

"What? What business do we have with humans? We live in the mountains, they live in the plains."

"There is an epidemic in the Northern Lands."

Everyone turned into the direction the voice came from. Of course, everybody with youkai senses had been already aware of another youkai presence nearby, and some familiar with the scent identified him as Sesshomaru, but dismissed him in the heat of the argument.

"Yeah, I heard something about it," Ryou confirmed.

"And you stay quiet, young man. You will be dealt with later," Inuyasha snapped, making the said man roll his eyes in exasperation. "So what about human epidemic?"

"The decease is extremely contagious," Sesshomaru began the explanation, "and the only effective cure is hair of the male wolf youkai. This Sesshomaru doubts the human quarantined the area properly that's why they can't finish the spreading of the decease even if they have the cure."

"Those humans don't concern us," Kouga stated. "We'll just hunt down those poachers or whatever and exterminate them."

"Or all present males can be killed now, the cure to the villagers is given and the healing process overseen so the disease won't spread here," Sesshomaru suggested.

"Yeah, I like that idea," Inuyasha agreed. The decision obviously wasn't supported by his mate.

"I still don't get why we must be concerned about some humans," one of the wolf youkai asked.

"Because _we_ are. Because these are our lands and we must prevent it from being destroyed. There are hundreds of hanoyus here who may not be able to fight off the disease," Inuyasha stated. He was certainly not suitable for human interaction, but whenever the protection of the land was concerned, nothing could stop Inuyasha. That was what made the village people admire and stand by him.

"If you do, the remaining part of the pack will come to avenge us. And there won't be left anyone to catch the bug," Kouga declared with a smug impression. He already thought himself to be the winner. And there was too many of them anyway for some hanoyus to kill all the wolves. Sesshomaru was force to reckon with, but still ten youkai on one – a sure winning bet.

"It is doubtful you agree to just give your hair while remaining alive," Sesshomaru said, to the wolves, who had hostile disposition from the start, and nothing seemed to improve over the course of the conversation. "There is another species hair that can be used; it is less effective, but it still works as a cure. This cure is inuyoukai hair."

"How much will be enough, Oji-san?"

"It will be enough," Sesshomaru replied.

"You can't, Ryou!" Kagome tried to prevent her son's reckless act, but his face expression told her of sheer determination.

"I know this is a bit hasty, but To-san, Ka-san, will you accept Kaoru as my mate?"

"As much as I want to object," Inuyasha began, but Kagome elbowed him in the stomach. "I am not going to. Kagome?"

"You have my blessing, Ryou," Kagome joined the opinion of her mate.

"Then I have a proposition for the wolf tribe. I give my hair to stop the epidemic and in exchange Kaoru is pledged as my future mate."

"I repeat, I will never agree," Kouga refused.

"I am trying to save your lives here! Why are you so stubborn? Can't accept help from a hanoyu?"

"And what guarantee I have that you will keep your end of the deal after the engagement?"

"That's easy." Ryou neared Kouga and fell on one knee. "Cut it off now with your own sword."

"I don't think your son is quite sane, Inuyasha. I can take off his head right now and he won't be able to even roll away to protect himself."

"Well, what do you want, Kouga? He fell for _your_ daughter. Still, he is prepared to die for her, that says something, don't you think?"

Kouga looked at his daughter. "If I hear even one complaint…"

"You won't, dad, I swear."

With a switch of Kouga's sword Ryou's hair was gone, with it his youkai strength. Ryou rose up, slightly swaying, but Kaoru was there to steady him up.

"You can claim your mate now," Kouga said through clenched teeth. He was obviously not happy with the arrangement, but there was something special about that Ryou guy…

Kaoru tilted her head down, barely containing her happiness, and Ryou pierced one of her ears with his fang. They brushed noses several times, not able to show their affection in other way being in public.

"I'll bring the ring for that hole soon."

"How soon?" Kaoru asked with baited breath.

"Two months at most."

"Common, lovebirds! It's time to go to your _separate_ homes!" Kouga bellowed, pulling Kaoru away from her fiancée.

During the commotion of good byes, congratulations and departures the valuable ponytail of inuyoukai hair was completely forgotten.

"I understand that we are going to the Northern Lands?" Kagura asked matter-of-factly, taking the hair from the ground. She instantly acknowledged the difference in thickness between Ryou and Sesshomaru's hair. Ryou had to grow a lot to even come close to his uncle.

"You are going nowhere, Kagura," Sesshomaru stated.

"The whole area is dangerous, Oka-san," Rin supported her guardian.

"Well, you and Yukito can go to his hometown. And I am going with you, Sesshomaru. Your skills of communication with humans are even worse than Inuyasha's. I bet you thought you could just toss the hair to a healer and depart with no explanation. Then this treasure is as good as wasted. And I am not going to inform you about the consequences such actions can bring. So I am going as a negotiator and this is final. I also have my own private stash of the medicine."

"If _anything_ happens to Rin, you will pay with your life," Sesshomaru warned Yukito, frowning at how close the two youngsters were standing.

"I'll gladly give it for Rin-chan," Yukito declared with a deep bow.

Sesshomaru gestured for Kagura to come closer and the next moment they were in the air surrounded by the blue sphere.

"Why do I have a feeling that Sesshomaru-sama agreed to the whole escapade only to be alone with Oka-san where nobody knows them?"

"But that is not a bad feeling, right, Rin-chan?"

"Most definitely."


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"You feel the same as Kouga, don't you? I mean, you are jealous of Inuyasha having such remarkable sons."

Sesshomaru only sent a glare in response.

"Did you mean to say that you are simply above such primitive feelings as jealousy, especially where it concerns Inuyasha? You can glare at me all you want, but I can continue to make all kinds of theories and annoy you even further. The trip to the Northern Lands is quite long, isn't?" Kagura tormented further, amused by her monologue.

"For what obnoxious reason can this Sesshomaru be jealous of Inuyasha having sons?"

"Because all men want to have sons just like them. To boost their ego even more, as it seems."

"All women want to have daughters."

"I am not denying that, so the topic won't be closed. I am actually quite amazed at how the parents' traits can unpredictably mix in their offspring. Yasha is level-headed, but uses a sword like his father, and Ryou is the hot-headed one, but his weapon is the bow – like his mother. Don't you need to be composed to use a bow well?"

"Your assumptions are based on stupidity."

"What?" Kagura exclaimed, offended by such blunt insult.

"Stupidity and lack of facts. Ryou discarded his hair so easily, because he doesn't need it since he is an archer and doesn't rely on his physical strength. On the other hand, he was born with no youkai side."

"How is that possible?"

"Yasha was purified upon his birth, but Ryou did it himself in the womb. He inherited his mother's spiritual abilities. He'll grow the hair back by the time of his mating by will alone. As for Yasha, he would've been dead a long time ago because of his recklessness during exterminations if it hadn't been for the haori and his comrades."

"So the coin has two sides, hah? You have a lot of interest in the sons of the step-brother you supposedly hate. Why is that, I wonder?" Silence was her response, which wasn't a surprise for Kagura. She learned to interpret them as something Sesshomaru didn't want to talk about, something that must be hidden from the eyes and ears of the bystander, who she definitely wasn't, even if in her eyes only. That's why every time Kagura tried to work out the mystery behind the silence and make the taiyoukai admit her rightness.

Contemplating yet another mystery, Kagura came to a shocking revelation. So shocking that her grip on Sesshomaru loosened (even if there was no need to hold onto him in the first place, Kagura made a habit to hold onto his sleeve whenever they were flying). "They are your only blood relatives! Your only true family! Inuyasha is the next Lord of the Western Lands! Not that he will take upon the role anytime soon…"

They landed on a meadow in the middle of the forest. The place seemed to be perfect for spending the night. Kagura began to collect firewood right away; their recent camping trip gave her a lot of strange habits that no proper lady should possess.

"Kagura."

"Hm?"

"Inuyasha is going to become the Lord of the Western Lands sooner than you anticipate."

"How come?" Kagura asked indifferently, concentrating on getting as much firewood as possible, because she doubted Sesshomaru would let her sleep by his side. She can risk an attempt later though…

"My existence will be ended in less than fifteen years."

The sticks tumbled to the ground. Kagura slowly turned around to face Sesshomaru who was sitting under a tree in a relaxed posture as if he hadn't said anything out of the ordinary the moment before. "What?" she asked in a hollow voice. "You are going to die? 'Will be ended' as in you are going to be killed? How is that possible? No one can kill you, can't they? You. Can't. Die."

"I have my weaknesses."

"You can't die!" Kagura screamed at the top of her lungs as if the high volume could make it more real.

"Why are you crying?"

Kagura touched her cheek to find out that she was indeed crying, shedding tears for a heartless bastard. How more pathetic could she get? "You won't understand. With all your hundreds years' wisdom you won't be able to understand!" she spat, her face contorting in pain. That evening Kagura remained by her small fire, too emotionally drained to move to gather more, she wasn't cold during the night however.

During the whole ordeal of finding the villages' healer and helping with the administration of the medicine no word passed between Kagura and Sesshomaru. He wasn't even present most of the time, proving once again his distaste towards humans in general, but Kagura took it on her own account. She was only a human, even with his blood in her veins. She was nothing special, so she had no reason to care about his upcoming death or him. Thankfully she was distracted by a sweet handsome healer, who was very friendly and helped her with everything she asked for.

The returning flight a week later was also silent. The two seemed to be complete strangers. Upon the landing Kagura started to walk towards the inn where Rin was supposed to be without a single word of farewell. And she didn't care if she offended the taiyoukai or hurt his feelings (which was basically impossible) or wouldn't see him for eternity.

When she entered the room where Rin should be staying, all her thoughts about her conflict with Sesshomaru flew out of the window as she saw Rin curled on the futon, crying her eyes out.

"What happened, itoshigo?" Kagura asked, hugging the young woman tightly. "He didn't, did he?"

"He left. Yukito left me!" Rin managed between wails. "Said he wasn't worthy of me, that he couldn't give me anything, couldn't provide for me. But I don't care about all this! I love him! Isn't it enough?"

"Sometimes it isn't. Did you confess to him?"

"He didn't let me even say anything! He told me to move on and that we would remain friends if I so wished. He went to travel to get a name for himself and become stronger, but what for?"

"If he loved you as much as you did him, he would've stayed."

"So you deem him unworthy too?" Rin blew with anger, moving away from Kagura to demonstrate her protest for her foster mother's opinion.

"All I want to say is that time will mend your heart and there will be another man for you to fall in love with. The best man in all aspects."

"If you believe in that then why are you crying?"

….

_~Two years later~_

Kagome was a frequent visitor of the cemetery since firstly her friends passed away and then their children then the children of their children. The reason of quick deaths was mostly the career of youkai slayers that was taken by the third of the Miroku and Sango descendants. It was the same with children of Kohaku and Rin, but the death rate seemed to be a lot less. Kagome wondered if it was because of Sesshomaru's protection. She brought flowers to the grave of one of Miroku and Sango's daughters and her husband, but discovered she was not alone on the cemetery.

"Kagura? What are you doing here?"

Kagura stood up, leaving the fresh picked flowers on the grave covered in dust since it hadn't been visited for a very long time. "Came to pay my respects. Also to find some answers."

Kagome neared the tombstone to find out it was Rin and her family's grave. "Did you?"

"Not really. I am getting married, Kagome," Kagura stated flatly.

"Really? Who is he?" Kagome asked cheerfully, obviously feeling happy for the other woman.

"The healer from the Northern Lands. He came to Naruki's three months ago saying he had been searching for me these two years since he fell in love with me at first sight. We are having a double wedding ceremony since Rin was also proposed to."

"I don't know about Rin, but you don't sound happy at all," Kagome remarked with a frown.

"I am just not used to the idea of being a wife. I had a fiancée a long time ago, but… things didn't work out so I basically gave up on the whole idea of marriage. But then even if I wanted it as any other woman the idea was so surreal I couldn't grasp it."

"But now it is real, and you are afraid that it won't work out again."

"No! No! Hiasaki is a wonderful man," Kagura protested, but the strain of dread pierced her every word.

"Why are you here, Kagura?" Kagome asked, certain that she was not telling the whole truth and Kagura's doubts were not ordinary wedding jitters.

"If Sesshomaru dies will he be buried here?"

"What? How can he die?"

"Just as a possibility. Is it possible for him to be buried here? Together with his family?"

"I don't see why not, but what brought this question? And where is he, by the way? I haven't seen him in quite some time."

"I don't know. Maybe Rin knows, her fiancée was approved, she couldn't have gone on with the wedding otherwise."

"You mean, _you_ don't know and she does?"

"And why should I have any privileges?" Kagura spat defensively.

Kagome was taken aback by Kagura's sudden anger. "You seemed to be close."

"Do you believe your own words, Kagome? You who know him for a hundred years! You can't be close to Sesshomaru in any possible way. Only _she_ was."

Kagome followed the finger Kagura was pointing at the tombstone with to see the familiar name of a human girl who managed to befriend the taiyoukai.

"Oh and the first Kagura of course," Kagura mocked. "But she managed to die before he tossed her aside."

"Did he toss you aside?" Kagome asked cautiously, seeing the devastation and panic Kagura couldn't mask with impassiveness anymore. She was really hurting, but Kagome didn't know how to help her.

"I saved him the trouble. Rin and I will be living in different towns so I doubt our paths are going to cross. I am not in his pack, never was actually." With that Kagura stomped away, confusing Kagome even more.

Kagura's words and feelings were contradictory to the point that it was impossible to determine if she wanted to be with Sesshomaru or never see him again in her life. If it was the latter then all the conditions were fulfilled by her marriage, but what if it was the former?

….

The wedding was wonderful. The grooms were perfectly groomed, the brides were beautiful, everything seemed to be perfect. Both grooms were respected members of the community so quite a crowd gathered to congratulate them on their acquiring life companions. The same crowd threw suspicious glances at the guests from the brides' side, meaning Inuyasha's pack which included his sons and their future mates. Naruki and Hitomi were also present with their son.

Even if everything seemed to go smoothly, Kagome kept fidgeting beside her mate, looking around as if searching for someone.

"What's with you?" Inuyasha whispered into her ear, sending pleasant shivers down her spine.

"It's Rin's wedding, Sesshomaru is bound to appear."

"So what?"

"He and Kagura had a messy break-up. I understood as much."

"And since when were they together to have a break-up? That's your fantasies only. What are you afraid of? Of Sesshomaru in a jealous rage disrupting the wedding? Please! This is utter nonsense."

"Remember what he did with the possessed guy? Killed him on the spot because he almost killed Kagura with his beatings."

"You do have a point here, Kagome, but let's just wait and see."

They didn't need to wait long. Just as the ceremony ended and the procession headed towards the house of the head of the town where the reception was to be held, all with the youkai blood, including Kagura, turned their heads to the beginning of the main road on which a figure in white appeared. Nobody moved entranced with the royal gait of the newcomer. Everybody cleared the way however when he was close enough to walk through the crowd of guests.

"Sesshomaru-sama! You came!" Rin greeted her former guardian joyfully.

"Welcome, Sesshomaru-sama," her husband, Kyoukei (respect) said with a deep bow. "Rin told me a lot about you."

"Rise," Sesshomaru ordered, Kyoukei obliged. The taiyoukai stepped closer to the man and looked into his eyes. Sesshomaru didn't see any fear in there, a bit of apprehension maybe, but the human man in front of the youkai wasn't afraid, even in the deepest part of his heart, even if he was only an inn keeper, who must've seen all kinds of types of people in his business.

Sesshomaru brushed his claws against Kyoukei cheekbones leaving two thin red cuts. Rin was taken by a remarkable man, a man of power in his own right. The circle had had another turn.

While Rin pressed a handkerchief to the cuts to stop the bleeding, Sesshomaru turned towards another newlywed pair. Kagura's face was impassive, as if she was at some other time and space.

"Omedetou (congratulations) on your marriage, Kagura," Sesshomaru uttered and bowed for the first time in his eight hundred years existence.

Even if Kagura had had any reaction he would've had not seen it since Sesshomaru disappeared right away, ignoring Rin's invitation to come visit them soon.

"I heard, that he visits all the families connected to him at least once a year, why does he do that?" Hiasaki asked Kagura upon Sesshomaru's leave.

"He watches other people's happiness unable to have his own. Coward."

Hiasaki looked astounded at his wife. The way she spoke of the youkai he knew to be one of the most powerful youkai left roaming the lands was one of not despise but pity, regret and mortification. She wasn't afraid of him at all. Even if Hiasaki knew beforehand that something connected Kagura to the youkai, she hadn't told him anything as if nothing happened, as if that page of her life was cleansed.

The procession proceeded towards its previous destination since nothing was deterring it anymore.

"Why do you think he did it, Inuyasha?"

"What do you mean, Kagome?"

"Don't be your usual baka self! I mean Sesshomaru of course!" Kagome hissed frustrated. "It looked like an admittance of defeat to me."

"Like he lost Kagura to that healer guy?"

"No, like he lost to Kagura."

"But what could that be? She is only a human woman after all."


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Kagura's married life unfolded rather pleasantly. It didn't actually much differ from the one she led at Naruki's. The major differences were the absence of kids and the constant smell of herbs and ointments Hiasaki used for preparing medicine. The usual silence of the house was at times disturbed by one patient or another who needed help. Sometimes they travelled to the neighboring villages since there were no healers there. Five years past like that.

Sesshomaru didn't appear even once. He was visiting Rin, as far as Kagura knew, because Rin came to visit quite frequently. On the third year of marriage she and Kyoukei were blessed with a son. Rin blossomed by the month, happiness overflowing her. She told Kagura about all the happenings in her life, what guests staid in the inn, what they did for life, what problems she had with the baby, which were the most popular dishes in the restaurant. She also mentioned the times Sesshomaru visited their household and how he seemed to be _satisfied_ with Rin's position. It was Kagura's role to be _happy_ for her little girl, and she really was.

Hiasaki was an honest man, a good husband and a tender lover, he almost made her forget the curiosity she had about youkai in general and one silver-haired inuyoukai in particular. Made her forget the feeling of freedom of being in the air when the wind was passing though her hair. Hiasaki had no mysteries for her to crack or secrets to uncover, still she was happy with him. With the man that _almost_ managed to make her forget the fifteen first years of her second life.

Five years past like that and then everything changed – Kagura got pregnant and five months later an epidemic hit the area they lived in. Among those who were struck was Kagura. Rin was called to help, because Hiasaki was dealing with other patients and couldn't be by his wife's side. Kagura had been delirious for three days whispering a man's name over and over, and that name wasn't her husband's. On the fourth day Rin decided to take matters in her own hands and cut one of them.

…

"We were here before," Kagura uttered in a raspy voice when consciousness finally returned to her. Her vision was still blurry, but she saw clearly enough to distinguish a figure in white sitting beside her futon.

"Indeed."

"Why did you honor me with your presence, oh Sesshomaru-sama?" she asked, managing a heavy dose of irony even in her weak physical state.

"You called for this Sesshomaru."

"You are not to ask why I did?"

"This is of no importance. Your pup is dead, if it is not removed you will die."

"So be it then," Kagura uttered with a content sigh.

"Giving up on life again? What is the reason now? You seem to have everything you wished for."

"I thought you of all people would understand… Yes, time healed some of my wounds and shadowed some of my memories, but it is still there. They appear in my dreams, all five of my rapists one by one or together and I feel the pain, the fear and devastation which nobody saves me from, like I am crashed by some eternal darkness of doom.

I let the past go, I told myself time and time again that I must overcome my fears that life is worth living, that I can make my future bright with my own hands. I let my hate go, I remade myself which wasn't an easy task, but I succeeded to some point. I got married and everything seemed to be alright, I even thought that I'd finally got the deserved happiness. And then I got pregnant… I was the happiest woman on Earth, but everything was taken away from me once again. And I just can't stop thinking, why didn't I jump from the waterfall that day? If I did I wouldn't suffer so much with every passing day of my new life. I don't deserve to live."

"It isn't your fault, Kagura. You were given challenges that no ordinary woman could overcome, but you did with your astounding will-power. If you had ended your life once again in the past, you would've never met Rin, or got married or gave birth. The death of your pup isn't your fault either, it was killed by the decease, not you."

"It doesn't matter whose fault it is!" Kagura exclaimed, her voice failing her. "I just can't keep this struggle anymore. Please, I beg of you, just kill me right now. I will be just one of the thousands you killed. Just a second, just snap my neck and you'll never see me again or hear my whining. Please…" During her speech Kagura managed to move into an upright position by grabbing onto Sesshomaru's haori, so in the end they were face to face, and he could see the infinite despair in her blood shot eyes, and also madness of someone driven over the edge.

"Don't you have anything to live for Kagura? Don't you want to live for your husband? Rin? For your future family?"

"Don't you know, Sesshomaru? I am only a human woman. I am weak," Kagura spat with hate, as if being weak was the reason of all her troubles.

"You are not weak, Kagura."

"So you are not going to kill me? Just as I thought. You are such a coward, Sesshomaru," she muttered under her breath, releasing the haori, because the last bits of strength were leaving her. She almost fell down onto Sesshomaru's lap, but he caught her and put back onto the tangled sheets. "There is nothing dishonorable in taking life of someone who asks you to do it. Or do you _like_ watching my sufferings?"

"I've never seen you dance with the fans I gave you."

"Selfish jerk," Kagura mumbled, turning away to express her hurt feelings, but a small smile still crept onto her pale lips.

"Your husband has finally returned," Sesshomaru announced. "If he knows what is good for him, he will do his job properly."

"Can you return with him?" Kagura asked the wall. "Can you pretend for a bit, that you care and hold my hand? I am kinda scared."

Sesshomaru didn't answer, but when Hiasaki stormed into the room, looking like he looked into the face of Death too many times to count and fell onto his knees crying his eyes out, he was not alone. Even in his shaky state Hiasaki managed to perform the operation successfully and within a short time. From one hand it meant less pain for Kagura, but on the other – her hand didn't get warm enough from Sesshomaru's hold.

When Hiasaki stumbled from the bedroom, he found himself forcefully pressed towards the wall.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" squished out of his lungs. If the healer hadn't seen a dangerous youkai before, he did now.

Without any warning, Sesshomaru send his arm flying against Hiasaki's chest, living three bleeding gashes above his heart. A bit lower and deeper – and Hiasaki's heart could've been Sesshomaru's dinner. Hiasaki was well aware of that.

"Those scars," Sesshomaru began, his voice trembling with rage, "will remind you of the day you almost let your wife die. If you neglect her, the gem among stones, ever again, I will fulfill her desire to die and leave you live with the guilt of the invaluable loss."

…..

During the next months Hiasaki treated Kagura like a Kami. He was constantly by her side and took her everywhere if the need for him to leave the village arose. The bedroom activities were put on a hold since Kagura had never initiated anything and Hiasaki was afraid to do any additional damage to her health. Little did he know that Kagura had completely recovered because of the youkai blood. They obviously didn't start talking about having another attempt on having a child.

The topic of children rose by itself in quite an unusual manner.

"Hey there, Kagura-san!"

"Ryou? What are you doing here?" Kagura questioned the unusual guest. She was just about to start preparations on dinner, but her thoughts seemed to wander somewhere they shouldn't. One inuyoukai dominated them, and now another one was at her door.

"I came to bring some good news. First of all, exactly in a year from now you are invited to attend Yasha and mine mating celebration."

"Wow! Omedetou!"

"It is too early for that," Ryou waved off, vivid blush covering his cheeks. "The second thing, is that Hitomi is about to go into labor and she asked for you to assist."

"Hitomi is having another child? I haven't heard a thing about it!"

"Well, you haven't visited the Western Lands for quite some time. A lot of stuff happened."

Kagura looked away in shame. She was thankful that Ryou wasn't outright scolding her. She had a reason for not coming, at times she was really grateful for her husband to live so far from Sesshomaru's pack. She was actually afraid to visit any of her friends not to run into Sesshomaru and ask what the bowing at her wedding was all about. She desperately wanted to know, but some part of her mind told her not to pry into the matter, so not to be hurt or worse – to lose herself once again.

"Will Kagome be there too?"

"No, mum is preparing for the festivities and stuff."

"Do I hear something about festivities?" came a male voice from the house's entrance. "Are you?.." Hiasaki drawled, looking Ryou over in attempt to remember.

"Hiasaki, this is Ryou, Inuyasha and Kagome's son, they were at the wedding. One of my friends is giving birth and asks for my help. You must go too! Maybe hanoyu will live here too and you would help them!" Kagura suggested enthusiastic by the idea.

Hiasaki blinked several times, not comprehending anything Kagura was saying. "Hanoyu? What are these?"

"Children of youkai and humans," Ryou explained with a bitter smirk. "My pups however won't need your help."

"Are you going to live here, Ryou?"

"Well, yeah. Kaoru informed me, that I may even become the Lord of the Northern lands some day, since her mother is the only granddaughter of the current one. Like Hell I want to, but I better learn my territory. The villages don't really communicate with the wolvies, or so I heard. Is this so, old man?"

The question was obviously directed at Hiasaki who looked astounded at the young man in front of him as if he was a representative of another world, who he actually was. "You mean the youkai in the mountains?" the healer asked in a shaking voice, clearly scared.

"Obviously. They are not happy with you right now, since you, village folk, hired slayers to kill their males, but they have there some really hot babes, so you may help them out. Now or in five hundred years, what's the difference? I am only quarter youkai and I feel just fine."

When Ryou referred to the extermination ordeal, Kagura glanced at Ryou's hair and was astonished to find out that it indeed returned to its previous size just like Sesshomaru said. Ryou also had a new outfit of deep green color similar to his brother's.

"You mean our men and their… their…" Hiasaki couldn't even finish the sentence from the horror that consumed his body.

"Females. But I doubt you will personally see this happening, maybe your grandkids." With that said Ryou threw a meaningful glance at Kagura, but she averted her gaze. "Well, are you coming, old man? Because if there are two of you, the ride will be a bit rough."

Hiasaki obviously didn't want to go anywhere near youkai, hanoyu or anything connected to them, but since it was his wife's desire and since he clearly saw the scars on his chest with every look into the mirror, he nodded his agreement.

When Ryou finally released them from his grip upon landing near Naruki's house, Hiasaki fell flat onto the ground.

"Gomen, old man. Not used to carry two persons at a time."

"He has a name, Ryou. Show some respect," Kagura scolded, maintaining a perfect standing position. She surely knew how to land from any flying speed possible.

"Gomen, Hiasaki-san. Is this okay? Mum snaps at me as it is. Why you too, Kagura-san?"

"Well, I must do something if it is not working."

"I don't envy your kids, Kagura-san," Ryou said with a mock defeat. "Are you okay?" he asked noticing as Kagura's turned pale at the mentioning of kids, _her _kids.

Noticing Kagura's discomfort, Hiasaki suggested getting to the matter at hand, especially since the screams had already started to echo through the building. Everything ended in four hours, because it was Hitomi's second baby and there were no complications. Still Sesshomaru was the one who held Hitomi in her youkai form and 'christened' the baby by leaving scratches on its cheeks.

Kagura didn't dare to even look at him during the process of the delivery. Thankfully he also didn't seek her out at the party that happened later that day. The house was full to the brim with slayers and friends of the family. Rin and her husband arrived too at some point.

After a plentiful feast to celebrate the birth of the daughter of Naruki and Hitomi a choir of "Kagura dance! Kagura dance! Kagura dance! Kagura dance!" filled the room.

"I didn't know Kagura could dance," Hiasaki remarked, discovering once again that he knew so little of his life companion.

"Of course she can!" one of slayers beside him noted. "Who are you, by the way?"

"Hiasaki, I am Kagura's husband."

"Whoa! You are one lucky man! I bet the idea of marrying her crossed all my mates' mind while she lived here. I mean, she is so… perfect, maybe. She is beautiful and smart and incredibly hot! And how she sings and dances and entertains! Yeah, you are one lucky man."

Hiasaki was shocked to hear such praise, even if he himself valued all the mentioned in the woman he met during the epidemic chaos. But she never knew that Kagura had a joyful even a bit naughty side. It had started to come out bit by bit from the moment Ryou appeared at their doorstep. Someone from her past, her previous life, life before him.

"But why did none of your friends approach her, if I may ask?"

"Well, it is kinda hard to go against _him_."

Kagura opened her fans and began her fluent dance.

"Him?" the husband asked in confusion.

"Well, you know," the slayer responded, tilting his head into the direction of the right corner of the room.

Filled with feeling of foreboding Hiasaki followed the pointed direction to identify the almighty suitor and went limp – in that corner, on a silk tatami, sat the guest of honor, Sesshomaru-sama himself. He followed the movements of the dancer as everyone in the room, but his glance was somehow different. Hiasaki moved his observation to Kagura. There was nothing out of the ordinary, her movements were graceful, passionate and wonderful in every way, except from time to time she threw glances at _that_ corner. And then something struck Hiasaki – Kagura was dancing for _him_. The one who didn't ask.

"Were they together?" Hiasaki dared to ask.

"Who knows…"

Hiasaki swore to be that person. He and his wife had a lot to talk about.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"My former bedroom," Kagura announced, stepping into a room with Hiasaki in toe. "It is so nice of Hitomi to keep it unoccupied."

"Indeed," Hiasaki agreed, watching Kagura prepare for bed. He was set on asking Kagura about Sesshomaru, but didn't know how to approach the situation. "I heard something from one of the slayers…"

"If you mean the rumors about me being the slayers' whore, then those are false," she stated impassively, settling herself under the blanket.

"No, it concerned the other matter, about you and the youkai."

"Oh, that." Kagura stared at the ceiling for quite some time to find the right words, to find any words to describe the situation right. "Rin is his favorite child, and while I was raising her, he visited more frequently than other families of his pack. That's all."

"Somehow I don't believe it."

Kagura frowned. "What do you mean by that?" She sized up the man, sitting beside her. He was emitting an angry and dangerous aura. She had never seen Hiasaki like that.

"Because I saw those slayers looking at you like some piece of candy! That's why you weren't a virgin when we married! You were sleeping with all of them, whoring yourself!"

"Are you fucking nuts? Don't you believe your own wife?" Kagura hissed, unconsciously moving back from him.

"Do you mean the wife that doesn't tell me even a bit of her past? And I must just treat well every monster that appears in my house?"

"What the Hell are you talking about? Youkai are not monsters!"

"And you say so because you are _intimately_ acquainted with them, hah?"

"What is it with you, Hiasaki? Are you jealous?"

"And how do you suppose I must feel when I am told you belong to _him_?"

"What nonsense are you blabbering about? I belong to whom?"

"To Sesshomaru, who else?"

"I belong to no one, especially to Sesshomaru," Kagura declared with pride, no realizing what mistake she was making.

"Belong to no one? And who am I then? Just some fool who is convenient enough to live with? I am your husband, thus you belong to me and no one else! Remember that very clearly, but for you not to fail, I'll show it to you." Hiasaki grabbed one of her legs and pulled Kagura towards him, the next moment he was already on top of her, pushing her nightclothes over her head.

Kagura wanted to scream, but her whole body went numb. Her nightmares were becoming reality. Again. She couldn't even fight her attacker, her own husband, because she was paralyzed by terror and the fatality of the situation. She should've been used to it by now. This one or the other, what's the difference? Hiasaki slapped one of her buttocks and that movement snapped Kagura out of her dazed state. She gathered her last strength, pushed Hiasaki off her and jumped out of the window, her legs following the familiar path to the pond.

This time it was Sesshomaru's turn to say, "We were here before," when Kagura collapsed behind him and burying herself in his hair. "Having a late stroll?"

"You could smell it all from here, so why do you ask?" Kagura mumbled through the hair. She always wondered why the only place where she felt completely secure and protected was by Sesshomaru's side.

"Does it happen often?"

"No! It must be all the talks of those goddamn slayers. They are good guys, and I like them, but they have no delicacy, and told Hiasaki who knows what. He is such a simple guy, he believed all the rumors about me, about you. Got into a jealous rage, I've never seen him like that. The tension must've gotten to him, we haven't… been intimate for at least half a year."

"So you've already forgiven him yet you don't want to live for him."

"He loves me, Sesshomaru. We will work things out. I am sure he apologizes in the morning and we will put it behind us."

"So you don't return the sentiment."

"I agreed to be his wife and strife to be a good one. I shouldn't have danced tonight, that dance brought everything upon me."

"That dance was worth living for."

"Oh really?" Kagura drawled, hearing uncovered praise in Sesshomaru's voice.

"This Sesshomaru never lies."

"Glad to hear that. Well, I must get going. It is turning quite cold out here."

The monomoko circled her to her shoulders, basically binding her to Sesshomaru. "You shouldn't return to your room tonight."

"So you suggest I stay here during the whole night?" Kagura asked incredulously. He couldn't be suggesting spending it with him, right?

"There are a lot of unoccupied rooms in the house."

"You have a point. I'll be going then." Kagura attempted to stand up, but the fur held her firmly in place.

"Do my hair."

"Why should I?" Kagura protested, offended by the outright order. And he was praising her just a moment before!

"You said that it calms your nerves, did you not?"

She was shocked that he remembered such a thing. He indeed had an excellent memory, but for what purpose could he remember such tiny detail about her personality? "But I don't have any bands on me."

"Doesn't matter."

Kagura had nothing better to do than to start on the hair; braiding indeed calmed her nerves. "Ryou invited us to his and Yasha's mating celebration," she mentioned half an hour later, tired of the prolonged silence. "Why is it called a celebration?"

"Because youkai mating isn't public. But since Inuyasha's pack is partly human, they are conducting festivities for participation of everyone involved with the family."

"Oh. Will be something grand then. With both brothers mating at the same time. It made me wonder, why Inuyasha and Kagome accepted Kaoru so quickly. I understand Ryou was about to introduce her properly if not for the accident with the wolves."

"She came instantly after catching the scent of Ryou's blood and licked his wounds without hesitation. Those were proof enough for her to be a devoted mate. However I don't doubt Inuyasha consented just to spite his old rival."

Kagura chuckled. "It indeed must be so. Why are they waiting then? It happened almost six years ago."

"A house must be constructed for the mates to live in. Yasha has been building one for the past twenty years in the forest he found her since his future mate is a water sprite and must protect the water body she lives on."

"A sprite, huh? No wonder she looks so eerie. Such an ideal beauty," Kagura remarked with a hint of jealousy.

"Woman's beauty is seen through man's eyes."

"So if men tell me I am ugly, I am indeed ugly?"

"Has any man told you such nonsense?"

"Well, some men don't express any opinion at all," Kagura responded with a clear subtext. She didn't hope that Sesshomaru would change the matter in the nearest future by saying anything about her beauty or the lack of it, she just wanted to get the point across.

"Not said doesn't mean unthought-of."

"Oh." Was that admittance? "All done. You could come by sometimes, you know. Somebody must fix that enormous hair of yours."

"What about your husband's jealousy?"

"Well, if he is so stiff about it, I can do it in his presence!"

"As you wish."

…

Kagura was right. Hiasaki indeed apologized for his behavior and promised to never do it again, he also was quite stiff when Sesshomaru appeared near their hut two months later. And what disturbed him even more was Kagura's unnaturally uplifted mood the whole day before the encounter. She was even humming while cooking. Hiasaki was outside when Sesshomaru appeared on the horizon. At that same moment Kagura burst from the house, her whole form shining with barely contained happiness and excitement. Her husband didn't deem it good at all.

"What is he doing here?" he questioned, obviously displeased.

"Oh don't tell me, you are jealous again," Kagura threw dismissively, her eyes glued to the silhouette moving towards them. "You can watch us, if you don't trust me."

That accusation was certainly below the belt, but Hiasaki still remained outside, far enough from the pair, who took a seat right on the lawn. Kagura was arranging the youkai's hair of all things, equipped with all kinds of bands. They were conversing but Hiasaki couldn't hear a word.

Suddenly Kagura was pushed to the ground with Sesshomaru covering her body with his. The act definitely brought Hiasaki to his feet. What were they doing down there?

The next moment, however, Sesshomaru leaped towards the forest and Kagura started running towards her husband, making some strange signals with her arms.

"Run!" she cried, passing him. "Youkai attack!"

Hiasaki had nothing left but to oblige. They ran uphill and remained on the top to watch the battle below. Actually Kagura stopped and Hiasaki followed suit, thinking that the distance was safe enough if she stopped moving.

The attacker didn't remain in the shadows much longer. The youkai rummaged through the forest, appearing on the lawn in his full glory. He looked like a giant armadillo who presented quite a challenge to anyone fighting him.

"Wow, Sesshomaru is taking his sword; I've never seen him fight with a sword," Kagura noted, still attempting to catch her breath from the long run, but the adrenalin from excitement about the happenings below was unmistakable.

"You've seen him fight before?"

"Kill mostly. He finishes them too fast to call it a fight."

"Kill?"

"He is a youkai, what do expect? They kill to protect their territory and those living on it, they kill to protect their pack."

Meanwhile the battle was raging in its earnest. The armadillo was large thus couldn't move a lot, but his shell made him an impregnable fortress. He was also attacking with thorns sent in multiple and unpredictable directions.

Hiasaki watched and couldn't help but be fascinated by Sesshomaru's elegant and precise movements. There was nothing extremely violent, gore or bloody about the fight, like he heard it happened between youkai. He was watching so intently, that noticed the movement of the armadillo and Sesshomaru's turning of his head right after it. The expression in Sesshomaru's eyes was unmistakable, Hiasaki saw it on every patient before an operation – it was fear. Hiasaki didn't have time to comprehend what taiyoukai could be afraid of since Sesshomaru attacked the youkai head on, which didn't help in the slightest – the thorns were already in the air. Hiasaki heard as several swished pass him, but he was the only lucky one, Kagura was lying at his feet with three large thorns in her side and stomach.

Hiasaki hurriedly went down to his knees to inspect the wounds, but was instantly at a loss – something black was oozing out of the wounds. If it was poison then why was it coming out instead of going through the body?

Ten minutes later Sesshomaru appeared on the hill. Hiasaki didn't ask of the reason. The blast a moment before indicated that the enemy was destroyed.

"Leave us," Sesshomaru barked.

"I am not going anywhere, she is _my_ wife. And this all is your fault. If you hadn't come, nothing of this would've happened."

"Such pests follow this Sesshomaru everywhere. Now leave."

"I won't! I will heal her to the best of my abilities!"

"You won't. The blood will work as far as removing the poison, the wounds are too deep to heal on their own."

"Blood?"

"This Sesshomaru's blood runs in her veins, hasn't she told you? Haven't you ever questioned why she doesn't age?"

"Kagura didn't tell me anything about her past: about her parents or where she was from, about her life with Rin or about _you_. That doesn't mean it made me love her any less."

"Indeed," Sesshomaru agreed softly, brushing away several strands of hair from Kagura's sweaty forehead. "What happens now, stays sealed as Kagura's past."

"What do you mean by that?... Hey! What are you doing?" Hiasaki protested as Sesshomaru ripped Kagura's kimono to get better access to the wounds.

Sesshomaru didn't hear him, forgot about Hiasaki's presence all together. He pulled thorns out to meet fountains of blood onto his white robes. That didn't faze youkai in the slightest. What Sesshomaru did next shook Hiasaki to the bone; from all possible actions, he didn't expect Sesshomaru, the Lord of the Western Lands, to lick Kagura's wounds. Due to Kagura's previous braiding, Sesshomaru's hair didn't obscure his motions which were mostly systematic to close the wounds in the most effective way, but there were moments when Sesshomaru slowed as if restraining himself.

"Does the smell of blood make you want to eat her?" Hiasaki asked, noticing Sesshomaru's strange behavior.

"Ridiculous," Sesshomaru answered, pinning Hiasaki with his gaze. He scooped Kagura into his arms and headed towards the hut as if it was the most natural thing to do.

Hiasaki remained on the hill contemplating youkai's behavior. If he didn't want to eat her, when what didn't he allow himself to do?


	16. Final Chapter

**Chapter Fifteen**

Three months later Sesshomaru was visiting Rin and her husband's household. From afar he smelled Kagura being present in the house, which wasn't odd per se, but something didn't seem right. There was also a strange dark aura around the house, or at least a part of it.

"Welcome, Sesshomaru-sama," Rin greeted, bowing low, but Sesshomaru still managed to glimpse her puffy red eyes.

"Why were you crying?"

"Don't worry, Sesshomaru-sama, nothing happened… everything is alright. Here."

The taiyoukai turned on his heels and headed towards the direction of Kagura's scent. He entered without knocking and stopped on the doorstep, momentarily bound by the view. Kagura was sitting on the floor, staring at the window, but it was doubtful she saw anything. She looked exactly the same as on the day he pulled her out of the river – pale as dead. The only differences were open eyes and a black kimono she was wearing.

Sesshomaru sat behind her, encircled her petite figure with his arms and pulled Kagura towards his chest. Kagura fell as if a stone statue, her stare on the ceiling now.

"You haven't heard, I suppose," Kagura uttered in a hollow voice. "I am a widow now. He was robbed and killed on the road between villages."

"Do you wish for death?"

"Strangely no. I've been living here, helping with Rin's son, Sesshu. They named him after you, you must've had a fit when they told you how to name the baby. At least someone has recognized your role in the family. I wonder how many you resurrected during four generations."

"Seventeen. Slayers mostly. Were too human to be real youkai exterminators. Some remained dead."

"I think I understand you now. Sesshu is almost the same age as was Rin when you placed her under my guidance. Rin grew up and now I help her with her child. The circle has turned. I may live long enough to see Sesshu's children. Having no blood relatives of your own, it is pretty painful, as if life passes you by. You must be in a lot of pain."

"This Sesshomaru doesn't feel something as ridiculous as pain."

"I know you better than that," Kagura murmured, a corner of her mouth tilting upwards in a smirk. "Even if you don't say it, I know. I feel it. And I don't need any youkai nose or blood or other means of sensations detecting."

"You want remain alive to willingly endure this pain?"

"It is better than to feel nothing at all. Isn't it, Sesshomaru?" Kagura asked, turning her head for the first time to look him in the face. Their noses were not more than two inches apart.

"Your pain pains others."

"I am mourning my husband."

"Don't mourn your life too."

"I just need some time to pull myself together." Sesshomaru's embrace tightened. "That helps, thank you."

"Will you dance at the mating celebration?"

"I won't be appropriate for me to do it so soon after-"

"Please."

"I will then."

….

The festivities dedicated to Yasha and Ryou's mating were a huge success. The whole inu clan assembled including the alpha males of the wolf tribe (who were not as happy to be among so many humans and hanoyu, but they could do nothing with that since there were quite a number of youkai slayers among them). Friends of the family, slayers and their families, the whole village was full of guests from all over the Western Lands and some from the neighboring lands too.

It lasted for three days. In the late evening of the third day, Sesshomaru entered Inuyasha's house and went straight to the master bedroom. Inuyasha met him halfway.

"What is it, Sesshomaru?"

Instead of answering, Sesshomaru threw Tesseiga and Inuyasha caught it by instinct of a longtime combatant. "This is now yours. It is for you to decide, but I wish for it to belong to Ryou afterwards."

"What's going on? Why are you giving me father's sword?"

"Under no circumstances intervene in what will happen tomorrow."

"Hey! What is going to happen tomorrow?"

But Sesshomaru was already gone.

…

"So what are we doing here exactly, Yasha? And so early in the morning too?" Ryou asked his brother, standing on a plateau which overlooked a large meadow.

"Can't stay away from your mate for long?" Yasha asked back with a naughty smirk, making his younger brother blush. But then continued in a serious tone, "Oji-san said we'd receive what we desire, namely his fangs. But why did he ask to bring our sister? Why are you armed, Seimei (pure clear)?"

"I never face a youkai unarmed," a young woman in miko clothes answered. Her quiver was full of arrows and bow looked in perfect condition. She was ready to fight at any time.

"But he is our Oji-san!"

"I've never seen him, apart from these three days, so I don't know him, thus I don't trust him."

Any other comment from the brothers was stopped by the appearance of Sesshomaru himself. He passed the three without any greeting, even nonverbal, and jumped down onto the meadow. A giant canine landed on the grass in his stead.

"We are in deep shit," Ryou said under his breath. His older brother basically agreed with him.

"You will have what you desire," came Sesshomaru deepened voice, "but you must take it yourselves to show that you are worthy of protecting your mates."

"We refuse!" Yasha exclaimed. "We are relatives, we can't kill each other!"

"If you don't attack, Inuyasha village with your mates, family, friends and all inhabitants will be leveled with the ground. You know that this Sesshomaru is capable of that."

"Kso!" Ryou cursed, stomping onto the ground. "What are we going to do?"

"We must attack!" Seimei voiced her opinion. "Otherwise all people we love will be dead! We are the ones who must protect the village, are we not? This is our duty!"

Yasha looked at the passionate but inexperienced miko and understood that they indeed had no choice but to fight. "Okay, here is the plan. We just need to knock him out and get the fangs. There is no need to kill Oji-san. He plays by the rules, so he won't attack the village if we are to fight him. So you both keep him in place with your arrows, and I am going to attack at close range. And Seimei, I doubt your arrows will work on the Lord of the Western Lands, but don't hit the fangs or they will be totally useless afterwards."

The battle-plan in place, Inuyasha and Kagome's offspring raged into fight against the most powerful and fearsome taiyoukai among all. Three hours later they were still in a stalemate. It looked more of a siege than a fight, because Sesshomaru mostly dodged the attacks than fought back. He could have taken out Seimei long ago, since she was standing on the cliff mostly unguarded, because the brothers had their share of trouble upon them. Opposite to Yasha's words, Seimei's purifying arrows did a lot of damage to Sesshomaru.

The taiyoukai was studded with arrows, blood was running from the gashes all over his body, but he was still standing and biting anyone who even neared his jaws.

"This is crazy!" Yasha grumbled to his siblings, returning to the edge of the cliff for a discussion concerning a new strategy. "Does he _want_ us to kill him? I mean, sooner or later I'll manage to crack his scull open! We seriously need to finish this thing already!"

"I can get him in the eye," Ryou suggested guiltily. "He will be distracted enough to be pushed to the ground, right?"

"Okay," Yasha made the final decision, but his heart was heavy.

The strategy worked. In minutes, Sesshomaru was withering from immense pain and from Yasha's grasp while Ryou pulled out the enormous fangs. It wasn't an easy job since Sesshomaru did everything to obstruct the process. After a great struggle Ryou jumped onto the cliff caring the freshly picked out fangs with blood still on them.

"It's finally over."

Yasha's cry made his brother change his opinion. Sesshomaru leaped up and was out for revenge, his one remaining red eye blazing with all-consuming anger.

"He'd went mad," Ryou diagnosed right away, since he'd seen innumerable youkai who were in that condition, they were the ones whom his group slayed. And now they had no choice but to finish off their own uncle.

The arrows and swords started to blaze once again. Both Yasha and Ryou were exhausted to the bone, even Seimei's spiritual power started to run out, but Sesshomaru was still standing. Seimei collected all her remaining strength and sent another arrow that turned into an enormous ball of light. It hit Sesshomaru straight in the chest, making him transform back to his usual form, his only support – his sword that didn't allow him to sprawl on the ground.

"Just one more," Seimei whispered, aiming at the kneeling youkai.

"No!"

The sudden scream made Seimei release the bow string and the arrow zoomed towards its premeditated destination. It didn't reach it however, because something white and rotating hit it off its course. How could something hit an arrow in its flight was incomprehensible for the young miko, but she didn't manage to see the thrower, only the bun of black hair, belonging to someone who was already running down to the meadow.

Kagura stumbled downwards toward the kneeling figure on the plain. She wanted to reach him as fast as possible but stopped on her tracks as she came close enough to see the condition Sesshomaru was in. He looked like a beaten dog: the ground around him was red from the blood he was losing through gashes all over his body which were partly covered by his mane which was in total disarray. Kagura just couldn't believe her eyes, even if at some level she knew that it would happen sooner or later. But why now, right after the festivities, when everybody's spirits, including hers, were uplifted and full of hope for new, better life?

Sesshomaru swayed and collapsed to the side like a rock. That brought Kagura back to the forsaken world.

"No, this can be," she said under her breath, rushing to the fallen youkai's side. "This is impossible, I won't believe it," Kagura keened, turning Sesshomaru over, desperately hoping that her fears wouldn't be confirmed.

Half of his face was covered with blood because of the missing eye, the other half was deadly white. The rasped breaths indicated that Sesshomaru was still alive, but most definitely dying, in several seconds or minutes, but it was inevitable.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Kagura questioned, feeling betrayed for some strange reason. She looked up at the mould where the young miko was standing, wide eyed and shocked by her first big kill. "It was her, wasn't it? You knew the moment she was born that she would be the only one capable. And so you waited for her to come to power. But why did you have to die? I have the right to an explanation! You forced me to live every time I was starting to fall into abyss. So tell me, dammit! Why are you leaving me alone now?"

"I couldn't fight anymore… the urge to commit… father's mistake," whished out Sesshomaru's barely opened mouth.

Kagura's world stood still. She heard every world perfectly, she also understood what mistake he was talking about. Her anger instantly evaporated, making tears of happiness trail down her cheeks. "Baka, you should've only asked."

"It… can't be," Sesshomaru responded, crashing all Kagura's hopes and changing the tears of happiness to ones of hurt.

"But why? You trust and respect me; do you deem me unworthy only because of my humanity? But if I am a human it doesn't make me love you any less!"

There, she said it. The truth she, first, couldn't realize herself then the truth she tried to deny and suppress, but then damned, believing her feelings would never be answered.

Sesshomaru's remaining eye opened a crack at her exclamation. Ever so slowly his right arm rose towards Kagura's face, the long fingers tracing her jaw line. "Thank you… for letting me see this face… before I die," he said softly with a smile glazing his thin bloodless lips.

"Her face?"

"Yours."

With that last word, the arm fell. The Lord of the Western Lands was no more.

"So what are you doing, standing up there? Bring him back already!" The hail was addressed to Inuyasha who was standing on the mould with his children and Kagome. It was he who brought Kagura and Kagome after the endless begging and nagging of the former. He himself was far from comfortable sensing the scent of his pups' blood mixed with one of Sesshomaru's, but he was asked not to intervene. He was sitting in the main room of the house when Kagura appeared, insisting that something was wrong. She didn't give any definition of 'wrong', but within an hour she was close to going mad. After Kagome joined Kagura in her entreaty Inuyasha had to relent and bring them to the place where the scents mixed. He wasn't exactly surprised by the view in front of him since the scents told him the story beforehand, but the present going ons were definitely one of a kind.

"Why does Kagura-san want this youkai to be revived?" Seimei asked, looking down at Kagura who was wiping blood from Sesshomaru's face with the sleeve of her white kimono.

"Well… I can't exactly believe it, but she seems to have feelings for him."

"But they will never be together, if what I heard about that youkai is right."

"He is your Oji-san, Seimei, so call him right. As for Sesshomaru's being a stuck up bastard… When your brothers prepared a present for you, the bow you're a caring, they wanted only the best. So they convinced Kagura to cut a few of Sesshomaru's hairs to make the bow string, without him knowing of course. Kagura succeeded, but I doubt Sesshomaru wasn't aware of her actions, but he let her anyway. So draw your conclusions. Yasha, Ryou, go home, your mates must be worried."

With that said Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and they descended onto the former battlefield. Two swishes of Tesseiga and Sesshomaru's single eye snapped open. The first thing it saw was the one it saw last – Kagura's face.

Both parties didn't say a word for quite some time, just looking at each other, exchanging thoughts about the bygones and the consequences of their actions. They didn't need to speak, they understood each other with no words needed. Even if that way of communication surprised both Inuyasha and Kagome, they were even more shocked by Sesshomaru's sigh of defeat.

"What does that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha barked.

"Sesshomaru's life belongs to me now," Kagura asked with wide smile that was just a bit naughty on the side. "This is youkai law, isn't it? That means I can follow him to the end of the world and he has no say about it."

"Miko, do the spell," Sesshomaru rasped out, grabbing Kagura's wrist and pulling for her to fall onto his chest.

"But you have been just revived!" Kagome began to protest. "Are you completely sure about it?"

"This woman is to bare my pups. What else do I need to be sure about?"

Before Kagura could analyze Sesshomaru's statement, she felt a blinding pain in her chest, but it was gone as soon as it happened. A sensation of warmth and strength replaced it, as if every cell of her body was humming with energy and satisfaction.

"What was that?" Kagura drawled in a daze.

"That was the uniting of your life-spans," Kagome explained. "Now you have to live at least for another three hundred years!"

"Wow, that's a lot of pups."

…

They mated three months later. Kagura insisted on Sesshomaru to be completely healed after the fight with his nephews. There was no celebration or announcement, but those who mattered – knew. For her mating mark Kagura requested double scars on her cheekbones, so everybody human or youkai knew whom she belonged too. Sesshomaru built them a house in a cave with an inside lake; the cave was secure, but also close enough to a human village which Kagura could frequent. She gave him three sons and three daughters, none of whom were purified. At birth they were inserted an artifact to keep their youkai at bay, and taught to self-restrain it during childhood. Sesshomaru and Kagura pups were the first hanoyu to know how to use their youkai side at will thus making them the strongest hanoyu ever lived.

The pups grew, mated (two of them with the descendants of Rin and Kohaku's clan, making official Sesshomaru's connection to them) and had pups of their own, repeating the circle of life over and over again. Sesshomaru and Kagura died on the same day, their remains buried in the family grave on the Inuyasha cemetery.


End file.
